I spend quite a proportion of my
week visiting #schools. One of the most noticeable changes over the past couple
of years has been the advent of teachnology,
in other words, technology to support teaching and learning across all
areas of the curriculum. Ipads and Apps are increasingly becoming vital classroom
tools and many teachers have initiated creative ways to engage and inspire
children’s interest in learning through their use.
The I.T. curriculum is no longer
about PC skills such as learning how to touch-type or use Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
These skills are now almost second nature to children who, surrounded by
technology from a young age, have grown up using them for almost as long as
they have been able to read and write. Instead, programming through learning to
code is fast becoming the future of technological learning in schools.
Learning how to write and
understand the language of computer code gives youngsters an insight into the
logic behind the technology they come across every day via Apps, smartphones
and programmable gadgets, enabling them to engage more within the world in
which we now live.
As important as learning French,
Spanish or Mandarin, computer code has possibly become, the most powerful and
useful language of all. Even if they never intend to pursue a career in
programming, the logical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills it requires
will certainly prove useful, whatever career path youngsters take.
Coding, competent use of
technology and an ability to exploit the internet will be future essentials for
the CV, since they are fast becoming fundamental to all aspects of innovation
and communication.
As entrepreneurial adults most of
us can fantasise about the next big money making idea. However, our children
will be able to go one step further and actually bring their ideas to life, programming
their own App, gadget or web-based platform.
Feel like you are missing out and
want to get involved in learning alongside your children at home? Here is a
selection of simple websites which support the learning of coding and
programming skills.
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