CodeMonkey Launches Game Builder Platform to Help Students Become Creators
CodeMonkey, a game-based learning platform that can teach kids to code, has launched the Game Builder platform, which enables students to build and design their own online games.
The Game Builder is “a scaffolded, self-paced and real-time assessed game design platform that brings a creative approach to learning the essentials of computer programming,” according to a news release. The Game Builder offers three interactive online courses that allow students to learn and exercise different aspects of the game-creation skill set.
Approximately 10,000 teachers and students worked on beta versions of the Game Builder to help create three courses: Platformer, Frogger and Sprite Animation. These courses are inspired by some classic video games, namely Super Mario and Frogger, to assist in concept development for students as they program their own games.
Key programming skills taught in Game Builder “include coding with Coffeescript, designing touch interface games for mobile devices, drawing and animating graphic elements and sharing interactive user-generated content,” according to the news release.
“Young students are drawn to user-generated content and love tailoring media to fit their unique style,” said Jonathan Schor, co-founder and CEO of CodeMonkey, in a statement. “Game Builder is the natural step to bridge learning how to code and creating content. By appealing to their creativity, students learn game design essentials while having fun every step of the way.”
To learn more about the Game Builder platform and to test the courses, visit this site. CodeMonkey was at the ISTE conference at booth 1054.
About the Author
Richard Chang is associate editor of THE Journal. He can be reached at [email protected].