Computer Science Education Week is less than a month away and this year Microsoft will be getting in on the action by running a coding competition for students using Minecraft:Education Edition and the Code Connection capabilities inside of this hugely popular game based learning platform.
Partnering with EmpireCode, students will get access to guides and training videos once they register to compete:
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR ASIA PACIFIC'S NEXT TOP CODER
The prize list is pretty incredible, headlined by Lenovo's Star Wars Jedi
Other prizes include:
- Microsoft coaching workshops
- BBC Micro:Bit
- EmpireCode apparel
My Point Of View:
By leveraging Minecraft:Education Edition as the platform to develop an immersive world in (based on the soon-to-be-announced theme), students will be hugely engaged in this competition. With the improved User Interface (UI) for the code connection released last week, this experience will be smoother and easier for students than ever before.
By challenging them to further 'supercharge' their world through the use of coding will bring to life the power of technology to enhance teaching and learning. As per the entry page on EmpireCode's website, students will be required to:
Describe the world you created in relation to the championship’s theme and explain how you enhanced it with code, in 150 to 200 words in English.
Getting students interested in Computer Science is a key focus for most governments and their respective Ministries of Education. Competitions like this make the process fun and engaging and will appeal to students across the Asia region.
Finally, for more information on learning to code inside of Minecraft:EE, including the easy Hour of Code lessons that can be completed inside a browser, check out the link here.