Computational Thinking Patterns is a framework to explore and describe game play in ways that is independent from programming language. These patterns are based in phenomenology. These patterns are used in the Scalable Game Design project and mentioned by teachers are one of the most important abstractions that help student to analyze and build games. The same patterns are used to also build STEM simulations. Through theses patterns there is transfer from game design to STEM simulation building: http://sgd.cs.colorado.edu/wik...

AgentCubes online features an hour of code tutorial that allows you to make a 3D game in a browser. This is the first 3D browser based programming environment and includes making your own 3D shapes. The CS EdWeek / hour of code tutorial is about a 3D Frogger game but you can build a huge spectrum of games ranging from simple 1980 arcade style games to sophisticated AI SIMS-like games: http://sgd.cs.colorado.edu/wik... Proof that this is simple to do (Fox New 31 TV Anchorman makes a game with AgentCubes): http://kdvr.com/2013/12/10/kid... AgentCubes online is used in many schools and has been funded by the National Science Foundation.

Scalable Game Design with AgentCubes online (http://scalablegamedesign.cs.colorado.edu https://www.agentcubesonline.c... fits the bill as it allows your daughter to create 3D worlds similar to Minecraft but includes the ability to design her own shapes and program them.

not much to conclude with 2 data points.

In live programming an attempt is made to reduce the time between a program change and the ability to wittness consequences of this change. In the good old days, with punched cards, this was not a pretty picture as it could take a long time to get to that point. With Conversational Programming, which is a special kind of live programming, we try to go one step further and compute of the program you are writing. A simple version of Conversational Programming has been added to AgentCubes online. You can play with this as part of one of the hour of code tutorials: http://hourofcode.com/ac

how about trying the University of Colorado Hour of Code activity instead to allowing them to create any program and not just a fill in the blank coding exercise? http://hourofcode.com/ac

Perhaps, before you make these kinds of statements, you should actually look at the research of the University of Colorado including studies showing that kids can leverage the MEASURABLE skills they got from game design to science simulation building.

... should it not be able to answer that question itself?

There is quite a body of literature suggesting that Logo is not that easy. More importantly, however, we can show that, with the right combination of tools (e.g., AgentSheet and AgentCubes), curricula (e.g., Scalable Game Design) and pedagogy, teachers with 0 CS background can trained to teach kids programming as early as first grade. Here is an example of a 4th grade class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FSbA_YMsNE&feature=player_embedded

I just like to clarify that the trade off between programming and natural languages (or music) suggested by the title of the WIRED article does NOT reflect the goals of the Scalable Game Design curriculum discussed in the article. In fact, we have many language arts and foreign language teachers participate in the Scalable Game Design project. They find that the idea of game design is a great way to 1) motivate language arts (e.g., the notion of nouns, verbs etc. as design tools for object-oriented programming) and to 2) employ the idea of game design as a cultural bridge used in foreign language learning.

Here is link to some videos showing teachers and students including a video on how to use game design in Spanish classes: http://scalablegamedesign.cs.colorado.edu/wiki/Videos

Full disclosure: I am directing the Scalable Game Design project

Of course there is no point in coercing people into things that they do not want to do. The problem with CS is that, particularly with girls, it has a strong negative perception, e.g., "programming is hard and boring". Our data suggest, however, when introduced to CS in a certain way (with the right tools, curriculum and pedagogy) a very large percentage of students (boys and girls) changes their minds. The strategy is to expose them once in very compelling way. If they don't like it - no problem.

The challenge is to find the right kind of toy that is gender neutral but also to use a certain pedagogy, such as inquiry based approaches, which can have a big influence on broadening participation.

No, that does not work. The Scalable Game Design project - discussed in the article - is specifically addressing the problem of broadening participation, e.g., the lack of interest in CS by girls. In other words, the lack of interest is precisely the problem. Our research (with over 10,000 students from all around the USA) suggests that MOST students, boys and girls, CAN be interested in CS through games and can advance from games from STEM simulations. Also, Scalable Game Design is a curriculum, not an afterschool program, that has been integrated into middle schools and even some elementary schools. The key is to 1) find time in existing curriculum to get started (e.g., in keyboarding and powerpointing types of courses) and to 2) transition to relevant STEM topics by teaching kids how to create science simulations. This is part of the new Next Generation Science Standards.