Apple expands Hour of Code program to a full week of sessions

You can code all week if you want to.

Apple is doubling down on its commitment to Hour of Code, expanding what was originally a single day devoted to hour-long coding classes in its 487 retail stores around the world to a full week of training opportunities. The expansion aligns with Computer Science Week on Dec. 5-11.

This is the fourth year of Apple's partnership with the non-profit organization Code.org. While the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of computer programming is expanding to a full week, each session is still an hour and, according to Apple, the popular program books up soon after registration opens. Registration for this year's hour of code opened on Thursday.

Last year, Apple CEO Tim Cook explained to me his goal to have coding become a part of core curriculum in public schools around the world.

“The classroom of the future is problem-solving and creating and learning how to express yourself,” Cook said at the time.

"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 in a release.

This year, the hour-long sessions will be more Apple-infused than ever with students getting an introduction to its free programming education iPad app, Swift Playgrounds.

Based on the programming language Apple introduced a few years ago, Swift Playgrounds seeks to simplify and make more accessible the sometimes confusing world of code. I reviewed it earlier this year and was impressed with its simplicity and, yes, how entertaining it was.

Apple updated the app for the sessions, adding a special Hour of Code challenge. If, like me, you've already completed some of the lesson plans in Swift Playgrounds, Apple is adding a new set of lessons and teacher guide called Learn to Code 3.

The investment in coding for students extends outside Apple stores. The company has been working with underprivileged schools (114 so far) and students to provide hardware, software and assistance in their efforts to integrate coding into the curriculum.

During the Hour of Code program, Apple will deliver facilitator guides, lesson ideas and has updated its online program for educators, Apple Teacher, with new resources and awards related to teaching code through Swift Playgrounds.

“Since we started Hour of Code in 2013, Apple has each year upped its participation and found ways to introduce more kids to computer science,” said Hadi Partovi, founder and CEO of Code.org in a release on Apple's program expansion.

Apple isn't alone in its Hour of Code efforts. Code.org also counts Facebook and Google among its supporters. Last month, Microsoft introduced its new Minecraft Hour of Code Designer, the second in its series of Hour of Code-themed Minecraft programming tutorials for students in second grade and above.