Playing "Minecraft" is awesome, but how about if players can actually make their own game? Well, "Minecraft" Hour of Code Designer will do just that. Microsoft will help kids and adults alike in doing some game programming by partnering with Code.org.
"Minecraft" Hour of Code Designer is a tutorial for six years old and above teaching how to create a simple game. Using drag-and-drop interface, the Designer will make the students be familiar with the code concepts. Players will learn programming and loops using the universe of "Minecraft."
Currently, the "Minecraft" Hour of Code Designer has 10 languages, but according to reports, by Dec 5 when the Computer Science Education Week kicks off, there will be 50 languages available! This initiative will not be the same as getting a programming language degree but this will shed light to kids and adults the importance of code. It might even awaken the interest of students to consider getting a career in software development.
"Minecraft" Hour of Code Designer cultivates the problem solving and critical thinking of players. According to U.S Bureau of Statistics, by 2020 there will be 1.4 million computer-related jobs. However, 40 percent of schools in American do not teach computer science.
Satya Nadella, the Microsoft CEO, believes that "Minecraft" Hour of Code Designer can equip players computational thinking to be able to seize the opportunities in the future. Here, players are not only gamers but also creators of the world they dream about.
Microsoft will host "Minecraft" Hour of Code Designer in more than 60 countries, and there will be hundreds of free workshops in their stores in other regions. Interested players can visit Microsoft YouthSpark and sign up for the sessions.
Have you joined one of "Minecraft" Hour of Code Designer workshops? How was it? Tell us what you think, and stay tuned to GamenGuide for the latest news and update!
