Everyone Should Try Coding – Here’s Why & How with Microsoft Hour of Code

Every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn the basics of computer programming.

Since we all communicate with at least one language, in an ever growing digital world, we should be able to basically communicate thoughts and ideas to computer programs.

A recent study by Accenture predicts that digital technology will power $2 trillion (the total GDP of all 53 African countries) of the global economic output by 2020. Every young person deserves the privilege to learn the technology skills they need to seize the unprecedented opportunities ahead. Coding, like human language, can unlock the possibilities to collaborate, create new things, and ultimately grow our economies.

3 More Reasons you should learn to code

1. High demand in labor market: Often we hear that millions of jobs are lost and will be lost as a result of technological change. The less told part of the story is that more and more jobs and business opportunities are created everyday for the same reason. The job of the future will require computer skills to remain relevant.
2. Develop problem-solving, team work and critical thinking skills: Coding will enhance your critical and creative thinking, contribute to your capacity to solve problems, develop logic, and accelerate your potential to tap into the digital economy of the future.
3. Drive innovation and entrepreneurship: Based on data by Bloomberg, the growth baton has been passed from traditional industries such as oil and gas, banks and automotive to technology. If you have an idea, knowing how to code will speed up the process of bringing your innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to the market.

Microsoft & Code.org to Introduce Millions of Young People around the World to an Hour of Coding

Microsoft believes every young person should have the opportunity to learn computer science, giving them the problem-solving and critical thinking skills required in our tech-fuelled world.

To show that anyone can learn to code, Microsoft has partnered with Code.org to create a free tutorial, called “Minecraft Hour of Code Designer”. This tutorial uses Minecraft game to teach young people the basics of computer programming.

Minecraft – Hour of Code – Minecraft Hour of Code Designer: Let’s explain these

Minecraft is a game where you dig (mine) and build (craft) different kinds of 3D blocks within a large world of varying terrains and habitats to explore.

The Hour of Code campaign is a global movement to inspire millions of young people to try to code in an hour. It started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify “code”, to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden participation in the field of computer science.

The MineCraft Hour of Code designer tutorial is a fun and easy-to-learn one-hour experience that builds on the success of last year’s record-breaking “Minecraft” tutorial, which reached more than 30 million students worldwide. The goal is to inspire millions more to try coding for the first time — and to keep going on their journey of learning computer science.

Who can learn to Code with this Tutorial?

• Anyone can learn, even if you are not well versed in Minecraft.
• No previous coding experience is required, so students of any experience level can enjoy the tutorial
• It’s designed for anyone from age 6 and above.
• Women and girls already compose nearly half of the game’s global fan base.

What the tutorial offers?

• The tutorial introduces players to basic coding in a fun, simple environment, guided by video tutorials.
• It teaches students to create their own “Minecraft” experience where they can program the rules. They can make chickens that drop gold, or zombies that run away instead of attacking.
• Along the way, students use Code.org’s familiar drag-and-drop coding interface to learn computer science concepts such as object-oriented programming, event handlers and repeat loops.
• The tutorial includes a set of 12 challenges, followed by free play time to create your own game using coding concepts you’ve learned.
• After learning the basic coding principles, you will create a game that you can play on you phones or share with friends.
• Computers are optional. You can learn from any browser, Smartphone or tablet.

How to get started

Visit aka.ms/codemc to start learning to code with the Minecraft Hour of Code Designer Tutorial for free.

The official Hour of Code campaign is owned and managed by the U.S. based non-profit called Code.org.  The campaign is backed by over 100 partners and will span more than 180 countries and over 45 languages.  Microsoft is a top execution partner for the Hour of Code.