Grasshopper from Google is a new and free mobile app meant to help adults learn how to code.
For many kids today, computers and computer games have become the most significant resource when it comes learning and entertainment. As technology grows to become an essential part of our lives, some children have already overtaken their parents and guardians in knowledge of computer programming. From mobile apps to programmable LEGO robots, there are plenty of toys and games designed to help children grasp various concepts of computer coding.
However, things are different when it comes to parents since they have limited choices to learn computer programming. Over the past few months, the tech giant—Google—has been working hard to change this narrative and luckily launched a smartphone game known as Grasshopper that teaches adults basic principles of computer coding.
The Game
Grasshopper is a free, mobile game, the primary purpose of which is to educate adults on how to code most simply and easily. The game is going to open a new world of technology and parents’ interactions with their tech-savvy children. The program is friendly even to adults who have never stepped in a programming class.
Though easy to play, the Google coding game is challenging enough to help you develop new skills. The game was tested for over nine months before being launched officially Wednesday of last week. The search giant has revealed that over 5,000 people have already graduated from Grasshopper’s JavaScript Fundamentals course. The game is available for both Android and iOS devices.
Three Areas
Google says the game development mainly concentrated on three primary barriers that make it hard for adults to learn to code: time, money, and access. Time is the most critical aspect hindering most people’s taking part in adult coding. Most American adults’ first response, when asked why they had stopped learning computer programming, was they had run out of time. Turning the whole issue into a Google coding game makes it easier to be integrated into the busy schedules of most people.
According to Laura Holmes, the founder of Grasshopper, most adults find spare time when they are sitting on their couches in the evening, relaxing after a busy day, or when they are in bed. This is the moment they use their smartphones most, and they can now use that time to learn some computer programming. Currently, Grasshopper coding focuses on teaching one coding language, which is JavaScript.
Why Are Most Adults Interested in Coding?
Apart from dealing with tech-savvy children, most adults are also interested in learning coding to advance their careers. This is no surprise, given LinkedIn’s top job skills for 2018 are dominated by skills such as mobile-app development, data engineering, and cloud computing.
Although this game isn’t meant to turn you into a coding expert overnight, it introduces you to basic programming principles that will help you determine whether programming is a viable career you can switch to. On that note, Google has also launched partnerships with other players in the industry, such as LaunchCode and Coursera, to help adults who want to pursue careers in computer science after completing the Grasshopper coding game.
You can sign up for Grasshopper using your Google account information. The first step in the game will prompt you to select whether you are a beginner or have coded before and how often you would like to practice. Once you are done with these two steps, the app will take you into what coding is and how you can do it.
