Advocating Coding

 

Introduction

Will teaching Computer Science impact students positively? There are many votes for and against the same. However, the vote for yes is stronger as of now. Computer Science impacts the student’s growth and academic achievement positively. It certainly to the skills needed by the rapidly expanding markets in the 21^st century and their demands centered around education technology (Gokce, Yenmez, & Ozpinar, 2017). One would need to convince the schoolteachers and administrators and hence need for a letter of advocacy towards beginning coding classes in the schools.

A Letter to School Heads

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM education) is now an integral part of teaching in most schools and computer science cuts across all of them. Post pandemic especially, technology is with us and there is no sign of slowing it down as yet. Hence, we need to take it seriously to bring it in some aspect as a part of school education.

What is coding? Coding is the language that creates instructions for computers, popularly called programming language (Weinstein, 2021). Computer code language is used to program the websites and apps that we interact with every day. This is the language of the young world today and as teachers, we should be mindful of the same. Also, coding is in almost every aspect of modern life. Every application on a phone and other digital systems like smart TVs and calculators use it as well (Meyster, n.d.). Coding professionals are highly sought after in the industry and there is a need for such personnel to run the programs effectively. Therefore, the need to teach coding in schools as it impacts the choice of career powerfully.

President Obama in the document (President Obama asks all students to learn computer science) also acknowledges the importance of coding as a way of imparting powerful skills in the learners to prepare them for the future (What’s wrong with this picture? 2015). Globalization has made the world smaller but the need for relevant skills is much more. Skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, information literacy and technology are much more in demand than before (Mubarak 2014). Also, the ability to communicate effectively, work as a team member, ability to prepare and face changes and challenges and to solve problems would have the higher premium than ever (nodding, 2007).

Parents, teachers and administrators please be sensitized to the need to knowing coding and programming for they are used almost in every industry. The best paying jobs in the world are IT related and the wealthiest human beings on the planet world in IT relate industries such as Apple or Google (Mallios & Vassilakopoulos, 2015). Coding also builds creativity in the children and hence is good for all learning styles. We believe that introducing coding in class would increase on student engagement and interest. It will intrigue learners while doing activities such as creating gaming programs. Learners will create and that is the cornerstone of STEM education.

Conclusion

Coding ignites both cognitive and creativity skills engaging students in higher order thinking (Gokce, Yenmez, & Ozpinar, 2017). Further, computational and algorithmic thinking are fundamental skills for STEM related courses (Mallios, & Vassilakopoulos, 2015). Hence, I hope that my letter is impactful enough for the school administrators to take teaching of coding seriously for the kids.

 

References

Gokce, S., Yenmez, A. A., & Ozpinar, I. (2017). An Analysis of Mathematics Education Students’ Skills in the Process of Programming and Their Practices of Integrating It into Their Teaching. International Education Studies, 10(8), 60. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1150292.pdf

Mallios, N., & Vassilakopoulos, M. G. (2015). Evaluating Students’ Programming Skill Behaviour and Personalizing Their Computer Learning Environment Using‘ The Hour of Code’ Paradigm. International Association for Development of the Information Society. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED562457.pdf

Meyster, A. (n.d.). What is Coding used for? Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paKGQl0Hun0&t=17s

Mubarak. M. K. A. (2014, Feb 24). Education System Needs to Adapt to a Fast-Changing World. The National. Retrieved 2019, June 7 from www.thenational.ae/education-system-needs-to-adapt-to-a-fast-changing-world-1.473481

Noddings, N. (2007). Curriculum for the 21st Century. Educational Studies in Japan: International Yearbook No.2, pp.75-81. Retrieved from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ842882.pdf

Weinsten, J. (2021, January 24). What Is Coding? Coding Definition and Uses. Retrieved from https://careerkarma.com/blog/what-is-coding-used-for/

What’s wrong with this picture? (2015). https://code.org/promote