In this new day and age with technology playing such a huge role in the lives of students, whether it be in jobs, school or entertainment, it is important to think about how to prepare students for what the future will look like. With all the significant advances in technology, schools have started incorporating computer science and coding classes into their curriculum.
Alyssa Hinson (11) was exposed to coding when she was younger and believes that it is going to be relevant for the future.
“I haven’t technically taken a coding class before; however, I have done hour of code with my elementary school. I do think it’s important to those who want to specialize in computing and coding. I think the future of coding will become very highly intelligent and could be the reason our AI gets better,” Hinson said.
With the increase of coding classes being offered for free in K-12 schools, teachers have recognized the pertinence and importance of coding.
Ryan Reynolds teaches Fundamentals of Computing and Project Lead the Way – Computer Science Principles (AP & Honors) to high school students.
“Students who take these courses have an opportunity to explore the field of computer science and gain a basic understanding of the fundamentals of coding languages that drives many of the applications we all use in our daily lives. Students also learn many skills that can be applied in many careers such as logic and collaboration. As we become more and more dependent on technology, I believe it is very important for students to understand the basics of coding to help them be competitive in the workforce,” Reynolds said.
Spartanburg High School offers many classes for students who believe they might be interested in pursuing a computer science degree. Taking a coding class during high school provides students with the opportunity to explore the field before committing to it and spending significant amounts of money to pay for courses at the college level. If students feel like computer science is the way they want to go, schools like Spartanburg High School offer Advanced Placement (AP) level courses that can earn that student college credits and help boost their application.
Edward Balaj (12) is taking his first computing class and believes it is the future.
“Fundamentals of Computing is my first computer class. I think it is an important skill to have just because of how much computers have integrated into our lives. In the future I think coding will only become more and more advanced part of our daily lives,” Balaj said.
Coding does not only teach students how to create websites or make games, but it also helps improve problem solving skills.
Roger Crowe teaches Fundamentals of Computing to high schoolers. He believes it is important for students to take at least an Introduction to Coding class, because the lessons learned from coding can transfer to other areas of life.
“No matter what career you pursue, problems will need solutions. Coding is a great way to learn from failure and failure is a great teacher! You have something that needs to be solved, so you try something, it works, or it doesn’t. Then, you ask yourself ‘what did you learn and what should you try next?’ Persistence is such a valuable character trait and honestly, one that is not very prevalent today. Helping students learn persistence is a valuable part of their academic journey. Persistence and problem solving go hand in hand and will serve students their entire lives,” Crowe said.
