Minecraft is a sandbox video game originally created by Swedish programmer Markus "Notch" Persson and later developed and published by Mojang. (Photo : Facebook)
As part of its effort to make computer programming appealing to the younger generation, tech giant Microsoft announced its partnership with Code.org. The duo will teach those who are interested with the basics of computer science using the video game "Minecraft."
As part of its annual Hour of Code event, Code.org will introduce a new "Minecraft" module. Hour of Code will take place during the Computer Science Education Week which will start on Dec. 7.
Users who will sign up for the free Hour of Code "Minecraft" module will learn how to use certain blocks of codes in order to control the game's two main characters, Alex and Steve.
Code.org is also offering other modules based on popular movies like "Star Wars" and "Frozen." These modules can be accessed on Code.org's website.
In a statement obtained by CNet, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said, "A core part of our mission to empower every person on the planet is equipping youth with computational thinking and problem-solving skills to succeed in an increasingly digital world."
Nadella added that "Minecraft," with its massive appeal to the younger generation, will help raise awareness and interest to the world of computer science. The CEO also said that the game sparks creativity which is very useful in programming.
Students who chose to pick the "Minecraft" module will go through 14 programming challenges. The challenges include free play time so that students can experiment with the programming tactics that they learned and apply it while playing in the world of "Minecraft."
