Giving Compass' Take:

During Computer Science Education Week Code.org hosts "Hour of Code" which encourages everyone to participate in an hour of coding to expand access to learning. 

• Code.org compiles tutorials and activities during this week to make coding easier and accessible for all skill levels. How is this model an ideal way to introduce young learners to the world of coding? How would donor support help expand coding programs like this one?

Learn why coding bootcamps are a viable alternative to college.


At school, I preach the “Gospel of Code” to anyone who will listen. I believe in the power of thinking differently, of giving kids opportunities to stretch their brains beyond what they believe they are capable of—and if it comes with a side of gaming? I can live with that.

Coding gives kids a chance to be creative, to collaborate, to think critically and to communicate their thoughts to others. Not only that but there’s the potential for them to develop a bit of grit, to dig deep to find their own stores of perseverance and to learn to appreciate the value of struggle.

Over time, they figure out how to think out of the box, realize the wisdom in considering multiple solutions to the same problem and come to understand that more than one mind working together is an awe-inspiring and powerful thing.

In every classroom where I’ve given kids the chance to dig into coding, the students who shine are those who struggle at almost everything else. They very often thrive. They step into a leadership role, offering peer coaching to classmates who usually run circles around them.

But that’s where Code.org’s Hour of Code steps in as a lifeline. In their words: No. Experience. Needed.

During Computer Science Education Week (December 9-15), Code.org challenges everyone to participate in just one Hour of Code. To support that end, they’ve amassed a wide array of tutorials and activities—both device-focused and unplugged—in 45 different languages. There’s literally something for everyone.

Read the full article about coding by Kimberly Rues at EdSurge.