$ KODU GAME LAB is a visual programming language that allows students to create games on a PC or Xbox. Following the likes of MIT’s App Inventor and Scratch, Kodu attempts to reframe programming in the context of storytelling. Students create 2D or 3D worlds and then define different interactions as they navigate those worlds. We’re happy to see Microsoft’s Xbox -- the top selling gaming console of the last 18 months -- cast as a programming tool, even if it does cost $5 to program alongside playing Halo. If your computer is running the latest version of Windows XP, we suggest going the PC route which is free. The folks behind Kodu are serious about its potential educational value -- they've provided a handy teacher’s kit on the site. There's also this report from Victoria, Australia’s Department of Education and Early Childhood Development which claims high student engagement from a Kodu pilot run in 2010.
