Computer Science Education Week

Posted 12/10/13

It is difficult to overstate how essential technology and science have become in today’s world. From the way we socialize to the foundations of our economy, the Digital Age has revolutionized …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Computer Science Education Week

Posted

It is difficult to overstate how essential technology and science have become in today’s world. From the way we socialize to the foundations of our economy, the Digital Age has revolutionized countless facets of daily life.

It has brought us closer together, allowed for light-speed communication and opened doors to new worlds of possibility for countless people. Business owners can build connections with clients and vendors more easily than ever. Students have a world of information quite literally at their fingertips.

Despite the progress made, it is clear work remains to be done to ensure these new opportunities are available to all. Education is perhaps the most essential piece of this endeavor, given the need for our children to have the tools to compete and succeed in a 21st century global marketplace.

Locally, two recent events have served to further this mission. At Warwick Neck Elementary School, a kickoff to an Hour of Code was held in conjunction with the nonprofit group Code.org as part of the national celebration of Computer Science Education Week. The Hour of Code seeks to engage students and spark their interest in computer science and coding. An estimated 10 million students in first grade through high school are expected to take part in the program across the nation, including those at 52 schools in Rhode Island.

In announcing the program, Warwick Neck highlighted the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics’ projection that by 2020 there will be 9.2 million jobs in the STEM fields – shorthand for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“Who will fill these jobs if our children are not given an opportunity to gain the skills needed?” reads a letter from Hour of Code coordinator Tracy Mollock and principal Patricia Cousineau. “That is the reason Warwick Neck Elementary believes that our students should be provided with the 21st century skills necessary for this innovation, which in turn will translate into high paying, in-demand jobs.”

The focus on preparing students for the modern economy is essential, as is working to engage them in the STEM fields at an early age. With any subject – but particularly with languages and technical skills – early exposure sets the stage for far more robust growth in terms of achievement.

While opening the doors of economic opportunity to our youngsters, we must additionally remain cognizant of obstacles that have often led to segments of our society being left out. In particular, existing perceptions and stereotypes have often resulted in girls and minority students not receiving the same access or encouragement as their peers to pursue studies in the STEM fields.

Another recent program, the STEM in the Middle Career Expo for Middle School Girls at Rhode Island College’s Alger Hall, represents what is being done to reverse that trend.

Modeled after the Tech Collective’s GRRL Tech Interactive Technology Expo, the expo program was offered to middle school girls at Gorton and Deering Junior High Schools in Warwick and West Warwick and at Sophia Academy in Providence.

“Through hands-on, fun workshops that have been designed especially for your students, female STEM leaders from the educational and business communities will aim to encourage STEM learning, break down gender barriers and offer career insights,” reads a letter inviting the three schools to participate.

Workshops covered a range of topics, from computer programming and social media to art and chemistry.

Giving girls the chance to work together, and with women who have found success in the STEM fields, helps bridge the gap of access and support they have often had with their male counterparts.

The efforts of educators, companies and groups such as Code.org and Tech Collaborative to interest our children in – and prepare them for – the opportunities of the future are to be applauded. We must collectively resolve to build upon these initiatives as a key component of our shared economic future.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here