During CSEdWeek, December 9-15, we will host a variety of Hour of Code activities on the CSEdWeek website. We’d like to host as many engaging options as possible, so please use this document to guide the creation of your activity, targeted to the user who has no background in CS.
How we will evaluate the tutorials we list
Tutorials will be listed higher if they are:
- high quality
- self-directed, don’t require any instruction
- designed for beginners
- designed as a ~ 1 hour activity
- require no signup
- require no payment
- require no installation
- work across many OS/device platforms
- work across multiple languages
- promote learning by all demographic groups (esp under-represented groups)
Tutorials will be listed lower if they are:
- lower quality
- require a teacher with lots of prep
- more advanced level of teaching (not for beginners)
- a multi-hour/day activity, with no clear ~ 1-hour ending
- require signup
- require payment
- require installation
- have a limited number of supported OS/device platforms
- work only in English
- have a gender-specific bent (eg thematically aimed primarily at boys)
We don’t guarantee we will list every submitted tutorial
General guidelines for creating an Hour of Code activity
Subject: Introductory computer science or programming (not HTML).
Goal: Give beginners an accessible first taste of programming.
Tone:
- Computer science is not just for geniuses. It doesn’t matter your age, gender, race. Anybody can learn!
- Computer science is connected to a wide variety of fields and interests. Everybody should learn!
- Encourage students to create something that can be shared with friends/online
Types of activities:
- Best: Web-based, smartphone-friendly, or unplugged-style activities that teach computer science concepts without the use of a computer (see http://csunplugged.com/).
- Okay, but not preferred: app-install, desktop app, or game-console experiences.
Format: Self-guided tutorials or lessons facilitated by the teacher. There should be directions for students as opposed to an open-ended hourlong challenge.
How to submit (Due 10/31)
Visit the Hour of Code Activity Submission page and follow the steps to submit your tutorial.
What you’ll need:
- Your name, your logo (jpg, png, etc.)
- URL for a screenshot or marketing image of your HoC activity (220px wide by 150px tall)
- URL for your logo
- Name of activity
- URL Link to your activity
- Brief 1-2 sentence description of your activity. (including whether it’s mainly student-guided or teacher-facilitated) Please note that some schools are interested in knowing if Hour of Code activities address Common Core or Next Generation Science Standards. If your activity addresses specific standards, consider including this information.
- Tested / compatible platforms:
- Web based: which platforms have you tested
- OS - Mac, Win, and versions
- Browsers - IE8, IE9, IE10, Firefox, Chrome, Safari
- iOS mobile Safari (mobile-optimized)
- Android Chrome (mobile-optimized)
- Non web-based: specify platform for native code (Mac, Win, iOS, Android, xBox, other)
- Unplugged
- If you submit an online tutorial, we need to know whether it is COPPA compliant or not.
- Recommended grade level(s) for intended users. You may refer to the Computer Science Teachers’ Association’s K-12 Standards for grade-appropriate CS concepts. Example grade levels include:
- Elementary school: grades K-2 or 3-5
- Middle School: grades 6-8
- High School: grades 9-12
- All ages
- Please also include recommended CS knowledge within grade level: Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced. The CSEdWeek site will highlight activities for Beginners most prominently. If you’d like to prepare Intermediate and Advanced Hour of Code Activities, please include the prior knowledge needed in the description of your activity.
- Technical:
- On csedweek.org, we will include a link to your Hour of Code activity. Upon finishing your activity, users should be directed to http://code.org/api/hour/finish where they will be able to:
- Share on social media that they completed the Hour of Code
- Receive a certificate that they completed the Hour of Code
- See leaderboards about which country/cities have the highest participation rates in Hour of Code activities
- For users who spend an hour on your activity and don’t complete it, please include a button on your activity that says “I’m finished with my Hour of Code” which links back to http://code.org/api/hour/finish as well.
- (Optional) We will follow-up with you with an online survey/form link asking for a report of the following activity metrics for the week of Dec. 9, 12:01 am through Dec. 15, 11:59 pm)
- For online activities
- Number of users
- How many completed the task
- Average time on task
- Number of total lines of code written over all users
- How many continued on to further learning (measured as any user who finishes the task and goes onto additional tasks at your site)
- For offline activities
- Number of downloads of paper version of activity (if applicable)
Suggestions for designing your activity
You may include the CSEdWeek logo, small or big (not required).
Make sure that the average student can finish comfortably in an hour. Consider adding an open-ended activity at the end for students who move more quickly through the lesson. Remember that most kids will be absolute beginners to CS and coding.
Most activities should be student-directed, but if an activity is facilitated or managed by a teacher, please include clear and simple directions for the teacher. Not only are the students novices, some of the teachers are as well.
Incorporate feedback at the end of the activity. (E.g.: “You finished 10 levels and learned about loops! Great job!”)
Encourage students to post to social media (where appropriate) when they’ve finished: “I’ve done an hour of code with ________ Have you? #HourOfCode” or “I’ve done an #HourofCode as part of #CSEdWeek. Have you? @Scratch”
Create your activity in Spanish or other language besides English.
Explain or connect the activity to a socially significant context. Coding becomes a superpower when they see how it can change the world for the better!
Do not require signup or payment before students can try your tutorial. This is both important to ensure the best one hour experience for students, and because we will likely list tutorials that don't require signup/payment ahead of those that do.
Make use of Pair Programming. The three rules of pair programming in a school setting:
- The driver controls the mouse and keyboard.
- The Navigator makes suggestions, points out errors, and asks questions.
- Students should switch roles at least two times a session.
Benefits of Pair Programming:
- Students can help one another instead of relying on the teacher
- Show that coding is not a solo activity, but one involving social interaction
- Not all classrooms or labs have enough computers for a 1:1 experience
Suggestions for promoting CSEdWeek and Hour of Code
Feature Hour of Code and CSEdWeek on your website. Ex: http://www.tynker.com/hour-of-code
Promote Hour of Code using social media, traditional media, mailing lists, etc.
Host a local event or ask your employees to host an event at local schools or community groups.
See our resource kit for further information.
Please email alfred@code.org for help in creating your tutorial!
A note for students with disabilities
If you create a tutorial that is designed for the vision-impaired, we’d love to highlight it for viewers with screen-readers.