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Unit 4 - Written Assignment

This letter advocates for introducing coding classes in schools. Coding is the computer language behind all digital technologies and is a fundamental 21st century skill. Teaching coding engages students, builds creativity, and prepares them for in-demand careers in fields like IT. Introducing coding classes could increase student engagement and interest by allowing them to create games and programs. Coding also develops skills like problem-solving that are important for STEM fields and the changing world of work. The letter asks administrators to recognize coding as an important subject that should be taught to students.

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monica kochar
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200 views

Unit 4 - Written Assignment

This letter advocates for introducing coding classes in schools. Coding is the computer language behind all digital technologies and is a fundamental 21st century skill. Teaching coding engages students, builds creativity, and prepares them for in-demand careers in fields like IT. Introducing coding classes could increase student engagement and interest by allowing them to create games and programs. Coding also develops skills like problem-solving that are important for STEM fields and the changing world of work. The letter asks administrators to recognize coding as an important subject that should be taught to students.

Uploaded by

monica kochar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Advocating Coding

Written Assignment Unit 4

University of the People

EDUC 5282

Dr.  Lateria Joiner


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 21st century and their demands centered around education

technology (Gokce, Yenmez, & Ozpinar, 2017). One would need to convince the school teachers

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

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