Apple’s workshops Hour of Code will run at all of its nearly 500 Apple retail stores across the world from December 5-11 and is one of the most popular events that Apple runs. In the past, Apple offered just one day’s worth of workshops, this year Apple will host Hour of Code workshops every day for one week in partnership with Code.org and uses interactive development tool Swift Playgrounds in the workshops as well.
Swift is Apple’s easy-to-learn programming language and is used by professional developers to create today’s leading apps.
Swift Playgrounds an iPad app to teach kids how to code, it presents number of basic coding lessons as well as challenges in more graphical and playful way which makes sense as the target audience is kids. Most of the coding lessons seem to involve games and fun little animations to keep kids motivated.
"Hour of Code embodies our vision for Apple stores as a place for the community to gather, learn and be entertained,” said Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail.
As part of Apple’s $100 million commitment to provide underserved schools with technology, Apple is also making it possible for ConnectED schools to host their own Hour of Code workshops.Apple has stepped up its commitment to education. In June, Apple launched coding camps for kids in its stores and donated 54,500 iPads to students and teachers in September.
Apple has participated in Code.org’s Hour of Code since 2014, but it’s not the only one participating in Hour of Code. Earlier this week, Microsoft announced its Minecraft-inspired coding tutorial for students and teachers.
“The global footprint Apple offers through its stores and talented staff has reached tens of thousands of kids, and with the introduction of Hour of Code in Swift Playgrounds we can introduce coding to even more.” said Hadi Partovi, founder and CEO of Code.org.
Hour of Code runs from December 5-11 and you can register here.
