Page 10 Students First Students Code to the Future at Savannah Grove Elementary Across the country, there is a push to include more computer science courses into the general education of students. Research indicates that by the year 2020, there will exist a one million person gap in the field of computer sciences. The recent scores for state standardized testing indicate a deficit in the knowledge base of our students in the areas of inquiry, mathematical data, and nonfiction text. By incorporating computer science coding classes into our curriculum, and providing the necessary materials for the students to engage in inquiry, data collection, and researching/ analyzing data, we are giving the students first-hand experience that cannot be gained in a traditional setting, and are generally not afforded. “I am extremely excited about this opportunity for our students,” said Principal David Copeland. “This program is a powerful agent that makes our students more marketable for the real world and our students deserve to be at the forefront of this revolutionary change taking place in society.” The students have an opportunity to design technical solutions to problems in content areas, allowing them to become innovators. Having this opportunity to engage in 21century skills in such a direct manner allows a unique opportunity for these students to develop skills they might not otherwise be privy to. As evidenced by the data collected, having an opportunity to engage in revolutionary methods of ascertaining information is a critical need for our students. Another added benefit of the coding program is collaboration and creativity. These projects and materials promote cooperative learning and incorporate good character skills as one must develop patience, respect for others, persevere through difficult challenges, increase responsibility load, and cooperate with leaders, teammates, and professionals. Students of this generation need added motivation and there is no bigger motivating factor for students than to allow them to explore, create, present, and engage with technology.
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