Coding 101: BC students will learn basic computer coding starting next year

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Reading, writing, arithmetic and coding? All students will have the opportunity to take a basic computer coding class starting in the 2018-19 school year.

The first step in training teachers from each of BC’s 60 school districts began last fall with learning sessions in Vancouver and Chilliwack.

BC Minister of Education Mike Bernier says the idea is to give students the basics to prepare them for a needed future skillset.

“Kids in elementary school today are going to be graduating into a different world than the one we grew up in,” says Bernier.

“[That’s] why we’re focusing on coding, making sure we have opportunities in our classrooms for our students to learn coding.”

Bernier says the objective is that all students will have learned basic coding by the end of grade 9.

He adds coding arms students with critical thinking skills necessary in whatever career they choose…

“Coding opens up doors to worlds beyond the tech sector. That’s because coding is all about analysing a problem, determining the steps to fix it and then directing a machine to carry out those steps. It’s good old fashion problem solving.”

More teacher training is on the way this spring in Kelowna, Victoria, Trail, and Prince George.

Many teachers are already connecting students to coding skills in classrooms; students are building robotics and drones, creating websites and developing apps.

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