Microsoft founder Bill Gates makes appearances in Code Studio's
teaching videos to help bring coding lessons to life for kids.
If technology is indeed our kids future, so too is coding. It’s the backbone of smartphone apps, video games, the Internet and even the device you’re using to read this. That’s why Techlicious is such a firm believer that all kids should learn at least the basics of coding. It helps them better understand how the everyday tech they use works, while simultaneously giving them the tools they need to create and innovate for themselves.
Non-profit group code.org is a big believer in teaching kids of all genders and backgrounds how to code as well. To that end, on Thursday, the organization launched its latest effort called Code Studio. It’s a learning curriculum, backed up with a set of coding tools, that's designed for integration into classrooms for kids in kindergarten through high school. Kids can learn on their own at home, too, through the available video lessons on the Code Studio website.
Rather than teaching kids a highly specific programming language, Code Studio teaches logic – the basics needed for all programming. Courses use teach kids how to make their own interactive stories, games and computer-generated art so learning feels more like play. Each course is 20 hours long and includes tools for teachers to monitor kids’ progress as they learn. There are shorter courses available too: One promises to teach kids how to create a Flappy Bird clone in "less than 10 minutes."
You can learn more about the new Code Studio by visiting studio.code.org. If you want even more ways to get your kids involved with coding, take a look at these 6 sites that teach kids the basics of computer programming. And for a more hands-on experience, check out the soon-to-be-released Ozobot – it’s a $39 robotic toy that kids can program for use in strategy-type games.
