A few months back, I was talking to a friend of mine. We were discussing curriculum and standards and we sort of fell upon the topic of technology. Nowadays, we integrate technology for technology's own sake sometimes. It often doesn't add anything to the lesson. Schools districts spend gobs on the latest technology which plays out faster than Jordans did in the 90s, and what benefit does it hold for our students? I mean it helps with engagement a bit, but most of what the kids enjoy using is blocked on school computers. What's more, the teachers are unable to confer much knowledge because the kids know more about using technology than the teachers do!
Most schools have a computer lab and at least a few computers in the classrooms. Many of these even have computer teachers, but what do kids learn in a computer class.
I did most of my schooling I the 90s. In elementary school, we learned the parts and the history of the computer, about bits and bytes, RAM and ROM, binary code (0s and 1s), etc. In high school, we learned typing and word processing, even a bit of Photoshop. In elementary school, we learned basics and played games. In high school, we learned to use computers for a varied tasks. This was an appropriate curriculum considering many people still did not have computers in their homes.
Nowadays though, computers are everywhere. People have them in their classrooms, jobs, homes, and even pockets. Kids have access to them and use them all the time! Effortlessly! They don't need a class to teach them to word process a document or type. They are expected to know these skills and use them in other classes.
They aren't learning them in computer class! Well, what then should they do in computer class? Code. Use programming to make more effective layouts and presentations. Edit video. Well they are teaching kids to code as young as first grade in Eustonia.
Here is a video about teaching kids to code. Check it out! Tell me what you think!
More info: http://marshallbrain.com/kids-programming.htm
http://constructingkids.com/2012/04/09/programming-in-kindergarten/
http://scratch.mit.edu/channel/featured
http://constructingkids.com/
http://www.code.org
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/10/opinion/rushkoff-code-writing
http://www.coolmomtech.com/2013/03/3-resources-for-kids-who-want-to-learn-how-to-code.php
Join up at the ground floor and help develop a plan and materials: http://codingforkids.org/wiki/Main_Page
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