5 Reasons Why Should You Host An Hour of Code

I was talking to a group of faculty members at KCG Tech on why we should ask schools to host An Hour of Code.

The Hour of Code 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. It has since become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts.

Here are some reasons why you should be interested in hosting an hour of code or help schools to host it.
  1. This grassroots campaign is supported by over 400 partners and 200,000 educators worldwide.
  2. It is an international movement to get people interested in learning to code.
  3. The first step in teaching programming is to get the learner engaged. Next steps include creating curiosity and giving them a sense of wonder. Show them what they can do with the code in a few minutes.
  4.  Students will do something different and have a lot of fun while learning. In the past couple of instances where we conducted an hour of code, many 7th graders went beyond the hour, refusing to leave the computer lab.
  5. The program will be run mostly by student volunteers and techies. We are trying to get students involved in social causes. We believe the best form for students to learn, is by teaching.