The Highs and Lows of Teaching the Next Generation to Code

The Highs and Lows of Teaching the Next Generation to Code Courtney Weaver

Hands up if… You graduated high school in 2020 or later

Hands up if… You have children currently in school or who have graduated since 2020

Digital Technologies 2018

Digital Technologies Kindy to Year 10

Digital Technologies Compulsory to end of Year 8

Does it include… Algorithms

Does it include… Basics of using Office applications (eg. Word, Powerpoint)

Does it include… Project Management

Does it include… Data Analysis

Does it include… Graphic design skills (eg. Photoshop, Canva)

Does it include… Data Representation (eg. Binary)

Does it include… Block Coding (eg. Scratch, Blockly)

Does it include… Basic OS Skills (eg. File/Folder Management)

Does it include… File/Folder Management, Basic OS Skills

Does it include… Typing

Does it include… Text-Based Coding (eg. Python)

Digital Technologies Curriculum Evaluation Specification Implementation Design Data Representation Digital Systems Data Acquisition and Interpretation Privacy and Security Adapted from Paula Christophersen: Digital Technologies in a Nutshell

Kindy Sequence Selection Basic Iteration Variables For, Repeat, While Nested Selection Functions Data Structures Logical Operators 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Digital Literacy General Capability

NAPICT – Percentage meeting ICT Proficiency

NAPICT – Students meeting ICT Proficiency 70 65 65 62 61 % Students 60 56 57 55 50 46 45 40 35 2005 2008 2011 2014 AU Yr 6 WA Yr 6 AU Yr 10 2017 WA Yr 10 2022

ICT Proficiency The number of year 10 students in 2022 who DID NOT meet ICT Proficiency

What is ICT Proficiency? Level Sample Task 6 Create a presentation for a target audience 5 Improve the usability of a design by placing a button in a useful space 4 Posts text from a webpage as a conversation thread in Teams 3 Can figure out a file name based on other file names. 2 Identifies task duration on a Gantt chart. 1 Locates and clicks a link to a website in Teams Yr 10 Yr 6

More than 122 000 15 year olds can’t do this…

Why? • • • • • • • iPads and phones Assumption of the Digital Native Teacher capability and confidence Equitable access Student behaviour Student literacy Loss of resilience and perserverance

What can you do as parents? • Ask your kids about what they are learning in Digital Technologies at school • Ask them about what they learn about the general capability • Ask your school how they approach both subjects and if they understand the difference • Get your kids involved at home!

What can you do as developers? • Build education products that teach the how • Build education products that don’t eliminate productive struggle • Volunteer to run coding clubs • Volunteer to upskill teachers!

What can you do as “the industry”? • Donate devices • Run industry days - teachers and students • Contribute to ensure the curriculum aligns with your needs as an industry • Create competitions for students to get their engagement • Co-design resources

How to start? ECAWA Educational Computing Association of WA www.ecawa.wa.edu.au vicepresident@ecawa.wa.edu.au LinkedIn: courtneycodecraft Facebook: courtneyweaversprokit Email: courtney@sprok.it Website: sprok.it

Thank you Contact Details LinkedIn: courtneycodecraft Facebook: courtneyweaversprokit Email: courtney@sprok.it Website: sprok.it