The Province took another step toward teaching coding to young students today.
Each BC school district is invited to one of six, two-day coding conferences, including one in Prince George between January 18th-19th.
The first one began this morning in Vancouver. Instructors from the Microsoft Centre of Excellence taught basic coding techniques to over 60 teachers, who will now head back to their schools and share what they learned with other staff and students.
District 57 Superintendent Marilyn Marquis-Forster calls coding a “21st-century skill.”
“Some futurists have said ‘code or be coded.’ In other words, we really do need to understand a bit about the mechanics of what we’re using in our everyday lives all of the time.”
She adds these conferences also meet teacher’s demands to bring coding to classrooms. The skills clearly focus on computers and programming, but Marquis-Forster says the benefits span much further than just punching keys. A lot of what’s taught in the coding process revolves around skills being emphasized in elementary schools.
“Coding is really logic and it’s thinking. A lot of the coding skills are developing in students the ability to think logically, one step leading to another, and that problem-solving process that’s involved with it.”
Participating in today’s events, Education Minister Mike Bernier says preparing BC’s youth for their future is the most important job.
“Getting teachers trained to teach coding and the new curriculum is just one way we are doing that. These workshops are a great opportunity for teachers to connect with the skills they need to train their fellow teachers and connect students with tomorrow’s skills today.”
Beginning in September 2018, all students will take a coding course between grades 6 and 9.
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