We live in a world surrounded by technology. And we know that whatever field our students choose to go into as adults, their ability to succeed will increasingly depend on understanding how technology works.
But only a tiny fraction of us are learning how technology works. Fewer than half of all schools teach computer science.
That’s why our entire school is joining in on the largest learning event in history: The Hour of Code, during Computer Science Education Week (December 4-10). More than 100 million students worldwide have already tried an Hour of Code. All of year 8 took part in ‘An hour of Code’ during Computer Science Education Week in their ICT classes. The idea behind an hour of code is to develop the basics of computer science and also to help nurture creativity and problem-solving skills.
Everyone is encouraged to try programming for at least one hour. The idea behind the movement is very similar to getting a child to try a new food. Someone may think that they don’t have a taste for programming, but a great first experience might change their mind.
Our Hour of Code is making a statement that St Michael's College is ready to teach these foundational 21st-century skills. To continue bringing programming activities to your students, we want to make our Hour of Code event huge. I encourage you to volunteer, reach out to local media, share the news on social media channels and consider hosting additional Hour of Code events in the community.
This is a chance to change the future of education. See http://hourofcode.com/uk for details, and help spread the word.