This week marks EU Code Week, running across Europe from 9 to 24 October 2021.
This past year has shown the importance of digital skills for all, particularly secondary students who have had to adapt to online learning during school closures across Europe.
Many students lack the digital skills they need to thrive in their education and prepare them for the workforce. Especially when it comes to computing skills, an area that is still slow to be integrated in school curricula. Yet with a huge skills gap and demand for IT workers across Europe, computing is a subject that will set students up with vital skills to meet the demand in this fast paced and varied industry.
The European Commission calls coding the literacy of today, which is fundamental in understanding how digital technologies work and serves in developing 21st century skills such as problem solving and analytical thinking.
Young people may seem to always be using technology and some may be able to code a little too, but coding is only one element of computing, as our report, ‘Creating the Future: Computing in Education’, explains:
“When computing is introduced to children in school, teaching should begin with the basics of computational thinking and problem solving, followed by the practical implementation, such as coding.”
Coding clubs and activities outside of the school day are very useful in generating interest in a career in IT, but to reach students who are not able to attend or may be more reluctant to take part, it’s vital these essential skills are offered as part of their school education.
By jumping straight into coding, students lack the fundamental understanding of idea formation, critical thinking and problem solving that form a well-rounded foundation that coding can successfully build upon. ICDL Computing introduces concepts and skills that are essential for anyone interested in developing specialised IT skills.
So, why not offer the Computing module to your learners this EU Code Week to spark an interest in the possibilities of the digital world and a career in IT?
Find out more about the module and how your students can take part here.
