Why should administrators consider making coding a requirement for every school in their district? After all, isn’t AI taking over the job market to where most tasks would be automated? And does some of the “latest” technology become obsolete more frequently?
These questions point to the many reasons why coding belongs in every school’s curriculum. Giving students of all ages the chance to learn this skill prepares them well for their future careers. Moreover, they’ll learn about how quickly tech changes.
Nevertheless, you might have learned of some obstacles that get in the way of integrating coding into a school’s curriculum. Some relate to having adequate staff for teaching students how to code while others pertain to having the proper equipment (or lack of). We’ll go into those discussions as we explore the reasons why schools need coding implemented into their curriculum.
Students Gain Interest at an Early Age
Many school districts create a scope and sequence that spans across grade levels, starting from PreK (or kindergarten) to the senior year of high school. With this factor in mind, adding coding to every grade level’s curriculum makes sense since you would do the same for math, literacy, and science.
Coding Applies to Many Subject Areas
Another reason relates to other content areas–not just the ones that deal directly with technology. On the one hand, you might need to include a basic coding class as a stand-alone at every grade level to ensure that all students have access to this knowledge and skill set.
At the same time, you can still incorporate coding into all other courses. That way, the students gain practice and exposure to coding in more than one context. As a result, they can see many more instances where coding proves to be a helpful, if not vital, skill.
Coding Promotes Valuable Skills
You can also count on students gaining both hard and soft skills that prove to be valuable at all grade levels and ultimately in any field.
Learning to Code Enhances Focus at All Ages
Likewise coding impacts cognitive development in a positive way, particularly a youngster’s ability to focus. Think about it. Writing code involves a precise use of symbols, numbers, and in some cases text. Even the smallest misstep can throw off an entire program.
Consequently, students have to backtrack and check every single mark and variable. That’s not an easy feat but giving one’s complete attention to the task at hand increases the chances of success. So, when your student starts practicing this skill from an early age, it will become second nature.
Coding Affects a Student’s Ability to Multitask
In addition to increasing focus, your students would build up their multitasking skills. While this seems to be contrary to focusing, we’re talking more about the ability to monitor multiple functions at the same time–without easily getting distracted.
Programming involves monitoring multiple variables, analyzing multiple datasets, and keeping watch over several executions. Hence, if students consistently practice these skill sets, they’ll improve as time goes on.
All Grade Levels Can Integrate Coding
From PreK to senior year of high school, students can take on coding at incremental levels.
Primary Grades
Preschool and kindergarten involve most of the learning through play and working together. These early years in their schooling might involve more non-tech coding-support activities related to cause-and-effect relationships, procedures, and simple sequencing.
Additionally, teachers do have options for block-based coding activities online. Code Monkey Jr. is one example that presents the basic skills related to coding in a fun and age-appropriate way that keeps younger students engaged.
Intermediate Grades
As students hit the double-digits in age, you have a prime opportunity to gain their interest in PROVENIR while honing those abilities to focus, communicate, and research. While the coding activities become more complex, they will have already acquired the foundational skills and perhaps even a high comfort level with more than one coding language.
Secondary Grades
The secondary level also offers many content areas in which coding can be integrated. And with many school districts adding coding courses to their list of requirements, students will gain more opportunities to learn and build up a skill set that equips them for their post-secondary journey and future career.
Teachers and Students Both Gain Opportunities for Enrichment
As mentioned above, there’s a possibility that both teachers and students would learn how to code together. While this situation may not be the “norm,” it could be one of the most ideal. As teachers hone their skills, they become experts in taking a complex task and breaking it down to more digestible bits for their students, especially if they’re undergoing the same trial-and-error process. In contrast, students who are more tech-savvy can guide their instructors in using electronic devices that they might not be altogether familiar with. The result is a chance to build a community of learners who are navigating the world of programming together.
Coding Promotes Connections Between Schools and Communities
Since some schools might be limited on instructional resources, community stakeholders and/or interested volunteers can help bridge the gaps. For starters, professionals in the programming field can donate their time and expertise to teachers who have never taught coding or aren’t yet confident about their abilities to do so. One day-long workshop or one after-school in-service can be enough to get the faculty on their way toward implementing coding into their daily instructional plans.
Likewise, some communities may be home to organizations or tech corporations that can help by providing internship opportunities for high school students and after-school workshops for elementary and middle school students. In turn, establishing this connection with the schools often plants the seeds for prospective future employees in the STEM field. For this reason, school officials should consider adding coding their curriculum
Coding Facilitates Change in Instructional Practices
Another reason deals with change. In this case, we’re referring more to gradual changes in instructional practices that lend themselves well to coding.
As an illustration, the project-based classroom makes the perfect setting for coding instruction and practice. In this context, the teacher presents the essential question (usually a problem or issue that involves many different solutions) which sets the wheels in motion for the students to research and hypothesize a solution and then take the necessary steps to create and test it.
Does this process resemble a similar situation for programmers, engineers, and innovators? If so, it’s because project-based learning almost resembles a typical “workday” on the job with the teacher taking on more of a supervisory and managerial role.
Another example is referred to as “flipping the classroom.” In this situation, the students engage with the new material related to coding, digital literacy, or another tech-related concept or skill outside of the school day. This material comes in the form of reading, video tutorials, or some other medium that serves as preparation for the next class meeting.
Upon returning to class, the students bring their questions, concerns, and insights about the new skill or concept. From there, they’re able to engage more deeply through demonstrations, discussions, applications, and collaboration. In other words, they’re focusing more on the intricacies of learning how to code rather than passively listening to a lecture.
Coding Enriches Math Instruction
Considering the importance of math in many areas, coding would also benefit students by reinforcing those vital skills. From using Python in algebra to applying JavaScript to geometry, students would gain an edge on developing their mathematical and critical thinking abilities by learning how to code in this context. Plus, we’ve seen many times how technology engages students more than just pencil and paper.
Students Benefit from the Academic Rigor
One other positive note about code instruction is its academic rigor. When students engage in challenging, yet fascinating projects, they grow accustomed to the difficulty and the great feeling of accomplishment upon meeting their goals. Therefore, resilience, perseverance, and strong work ethic spills over into other aspects of their lives.
And this type of learning is most beneficial when students start at an early age and when the academic rigor that comes with coding is embedded into their school’s curriculum.
Multiple Coding Languages Mean More Opportunities
Along with adding coding courses into the curriculum, department heads can consider integrating multiple coding languages so that students can gain practice on a broader level. By interweaving different coding languages into the curricula of various subjects, students gain more experience and better understanding of how computer science works in the real world.
Moreover, students achieve even more proficiency with the foundational skills for coding, which include variables, loops, record structures, and capabilities. From there you can only imagine how far students could advance in multiple content areas–from science to art and from math to music. So, you’re not only looking at students gaining the chance to diversify their abilities in multiple coding languages but also expanding on their problem-solving skills and creativity.
Instructional Resources are Available
Another rationale for integrating coding relates to the availability of resources to support such a big change to your school and district-wide curriculum. While school officials and teachers might have to do some research, they would uncover a wealth of age-appropriate programs and instructional supplements that support coding at all grade levels.
One such example is the Escuelas públicas de Worcester in Massachusetts. While technology and coding courses had already been implemented in grades kindergarten through five, the second and third grade classes still lacked their own program, leaving a potentially long gap in learning for the students who have already gained foundational skills in kindergarten and first grade. In fact, those instructors shared their experiences with Code Monkey with their colleagues who then took the program for a test drive in the second and third-grade classes.
From there, Code Monkey was more widely implemented to include those two grade levels. The moral of this story: Your first stop for information should be the classrooms that have already integrated coding.
Factors for Consideration
On the one hand, we see numerous reasons why coding belongs in every school’s curriculum. However, you might encounter more questions about the rationale and logistics behind making such a broad change.
More Research Is Needed
While some research has been done regarding the impact of integrating coding into a school-wide curriculum, administrators still need more information about the ideal situation for making this change happen. Some of the key factors include:
- Best instructional practices
- The most effective professional development
- Access to the appropriate devices and infrastructure
- Equal access to coding instruction for the entire student population
Coding to Learn or Learning to Code?
One aspect of instructional practices might remind you of the old question, “What came first: the chicken or the egg?” In this case, you might ask whether students should be learning to code or coding to learn? The short answer would be “both.”
Starting with the latter, students would come closest to real-world experience if their non-tech classes involved coding. As an illustration, imagine having the tools to more efficiently capture and analyze weather patterns in science class. Or what if art class involves graphic design or animation? And imagine being able to write code that assists with songwriting in music classes like choir or orchestra. All in all, students would go beyond rote memorization or learning to pass a test. They come away with school projects that double up as resume builders.
Addressing Gaps in Technology in Schools
While we know that there are resources out there to help a faculty to implement coding instruction, we still have to consider some districts that are located in rural, hard-to-reach areas or those in urban locations that are somewhat isolated from the rest of the community. In these situations, you might need to first address any concerns that the teachers might have regarding professional development to gain a firm grasp on curricular changes and how to execute them at the classroom level. They would also have a clearer idea of any other necessities such as equipment, Internet capabilities, and supplemental instruction to support students who need extra help.
With these concerns in mind, district officials and policymakers might need to be prepared to tackle such issues as they add coding to the curriculum. One idea is to connect with the National Science Foundation, The Best Buy Community Grants Program, the Rural Technology Fund, or other similar initiatives that can give guidance and monetary support for implementing tech into the classroom on a broader scale.
After School or Elective?
Another question you might hear from a logistics standpoint is whether to make coding an elective course or an after-school activity. And we have another question to answer that one. Why not go all in?
At the secondary level, a basic coding course might be necessary. What if you have students who have not tried coding before but are curious enough to dive in and learn? Then, such a course would be ideal, especially if it includes other topics related to digital literacy and cyber security. Whether it’s an elective or a requirement for graduation, gaining this knowledge and skills even on a general level can only benefit students.
On the other hand, a coding-based afterschool program or club would make an excellent supplement to what’s already being taught in the classroom. In this context, students can dive deeper into algorithmic development and take on even more challenging projects or participate in STEM-based competitions.
The Key Take-aways
Technology is now a part of almost every aspect of daily life. Hence, we can conclude that coding would provide a necessary component of any school’s curriculum. Even with the rise of AI, students will need the skills necessary for checking its accuracy and ensuring there are no bugs and mistakes. And the schools have a special responsibility to prepare this next generation for whatever the world of tech might place in their paths.
