Computer programming evangelists are already providing opportunities for children to learn their trade. Girls Who Code and Black Girls Code provide specialist computer training to girls in after-school programs and workshops. Keen parents can download apps like RoboLogic and LightBot for children as young as four. But relying on nonprofits to do this is a short-term solution, benefitting only a small population. Since high-level computing skills are now required in most workplaces, it’s time to look at curriculum reform. (As a former teacher, this phrase makes me want to run for the hills, but apparently they even have iPads there.)
As with any major reform, integrating computer programming classes into public schools has to be managed carefully. Experiments in training teachers are already underway: In 2012, a National Science Foundation Math Science Partnership project, Mobilize, ran a computer science teaching methodology course for student teachers in math and science in California. Although it will take time to see the effects of this intervention, this kind of specialist training for beginning teachers is one way of ensuring that computer programming skills find their way into the classroom.
Beyond the issue of teacher preparation is the challenge of ensuring all schools and students have access to necessary equipment. There is also a risk of increasing the digital divide and social inequality if access to teachers and resources for a computer science curriculum is not distributed equitably among school districts. Until these challenges can be met, programming will unfortunately remain an after-school club in the schools lucky enough to have a partnership with a nonprofit. That not only hurts our students but eventually, our nation’s economy.
Wenna Price is an independent education consultant with a background in teaching, teacher training, and curriculum design. She can be reached at enquiries(dot)wprice(at)gmail(dot)com.