Coding Announced As Priority During Nova Scotia Education Day
HALIFAX – More than 600 Nova Scotia students attending Education Day at the Big Data for Productivity Congress in Halifax on Wednesday were told coding is a priority for the province and will be brought to the classroom earlier than planned.
An Education Action Plan commitment to introduce all children to coding kicked off in the province this year – running from primary to Grade 3 as part of the revised curriculum. The plan has students being introduced to the basics of using a computer safely and problem solving.
“Coding builds on the basic skills in the math curriculum and we will work closely with our teachers as coding is phased in over the next few years in classrooms,” said Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Karen Casey.
“Taking the steps to modernize the education system is a key component of the Action Plan and is critical to student success,” said Minister Casey. “Participating in Education Day is an excellent opportunity to highlight the steps we’re taking to introduce students to the basics of coding, technology and design.”
Coding is becoming an essential skill in Nova Scotia’s growing industries such as computer programming, marine, manufacturing, communications and many others. The skill promotes problem solving, teamwork, critical thinking, and innovation.
“Improving these learning skills will help to better prepare our students to lead successful lives and contribute to the prosperity of our province,” said Ms. Casey.
Last year, more than 60,000 students took part in the worldwide event Hour of Code, which is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify coding by teaching students the basics.