14 DAY TRIAL // Apple this weekend announced plans to support the campaign to get students involved in a one-hour introduction to computer science through workshops at its own brick and mortar stores.
Designed to make code less intimidating, the Hour of Code campaign aims to show that anyone can learn programming, at least at a basic level.
“As a part of Computer Science Education Week (December 9-15), code.org is organizing a worldwide campaign to get 10 million students of all ages to participate in the Hour of Code,” Apple says on its Hot News page.
“It’s a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anyone can learn the basics of programming.”
The company includes a brief statement from former US Vice President Al Gore (who is also on the board of directors at Apple): “The ability to code and understand the power of computing is crucial to success in today’s hyper-connected world.”
Steve Jobs himself said in an interview that everyone in America should learn programming. Even President Barack Obama is a fan of the Hour of Code, which promises to teach you what most schools don’t.
Interested parties are told to check code.org or visit their local Apple Store on December 11 at 5 PM (local time) to attend a special Hour of Code workshop. The workshop is for youngsters, according to the Cupertino giant.
“Apple Retail Stores will [...] host one-hour workshops for children and teens throughout the United States on Dec. 11. Find a store and sign up today,” reads the announcement.
To sign up online, just find your closest store at http://www.apple.com/retail/ and use your Apple ID to save a spot. You can either enter your zip code, or pick a store from the full list of locations across the United States.