About 100 School District 23 students, aged eight to 18, spent Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 at UBC Okanagan learning how to code.
Image Credit: Contributed
January 25, 2016 - 1:00 PM
KELOWNA – With software programmers becoming more and more in demand, the province has designed a new curriculum that incorporates coding into schools over the next three years.
Last week Premier Christy Clark announced that coding would be included in classes from kindergarten through to grade 12.
“Kelowna’s technology sector is booming, and it’s never too early to start learning the basics of coding,” Clark says. “Events like Codecreate help students explore computer programming, and maybe start them on a path towards a great career.”
Codecreate is a partnership with UBC Okanagan that hosted more than 100 students for a grassroots global science and digital literacy campaign aimed at encouraging students around the world to try computer coding. Across the province, events happened simultaneously, creating the largest province-wide coding event to date.
During Saturday’s day-long event at UBC Okanagan, high school and elementary students were tasked with basic computer coding activities. Curriculum and instructions were provided by Lighthouse Labs, and tasks were completed with support from volunteer coding mentors from the university and the community.
UBC Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Okanagan campus Deborah Buszard says coding is quickly becoming an essential skill, alongside reading and writing.
“Codecreate is an outstanding example of Okanagan communities coming together with UBC to position the next generation of learners for success in the economy of the future.”
Tyler Peatland, UBC elementary teacher candidate and event volunteer, says he saw the benefits of teaching coding to students immediately.
“Understanding the deeper meaning of how coding relates to everyday life will be beneficial to any student trying to grasp how the world works,” he says.
Mayor Colin Basran offered opening remarks to the students and volunteers.
“It is so important in this ever-changing world to maintain a commitment to innovation and life-long learning,” Basran says. “We’re fortunate in Kelowna to have a world-class institution like UBC Okanagan bringing innovative teaching opportunities like Codecreate to our entire community.”
For more information visit the Codecreate website.
To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infonews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2016