The tools educators need to introduce coding to their students are widely available, free, and fun.
Coding in schools is a hot topic in education tech right now, but teaching students how to code is one aspect of a computer science course. not all schools are able to offer computer science classes, and not all educators feel confident in being able to teach this important skill.
Even if educators have no experience with coding, they can integrate this digital language into their curriculums. Many public schools have subscriptions to the professional development services offered through Atomic Learning. If your school is a subscriber, you have access to its Coding in the Classroom training.
Related: Why Students Should Code and How to Get Started
Once teachers are ready to explore the ways that computers can help them teach coding, there are a variety of training tools available. “There are many things you can do that don’t require computer use,” says Pat Yongpradit, VP of education at Code.org.
“You can be sorting different weights. Finding a path between two points.”
Yongpradit adds that in terms of getting started, “it ranges from taking college level courses or computer science methods courses. Code.org offers online or onsite professional development. There are also MOOCs [Massive Open Online Courses] available to prepare teachers to teach a new AP computer science course.”
Because coding utilizes the skills learned in math and science courses, integrating coding projects into these classes feels more natural. Coding, however, has its place in classrooms across the disciplines and grade levels.
Starting kids as young as possible is easy with the resources available through ScratchJr, Tynker and Kodable, which offer programming curriculum for elementary classrooms.
Establishing these building blocks in elementary school provides learners with the skills they will need to advance in programming as they grow.
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