KIDS SHOULD BE CREATORS OF TECHNOLOGY!

Over at KIDSCODE, we are committed to advocating our vision that all kids should be creators of technology. In today’s society, it is commonplace to see that technological gadgets are being exposed to children as young as 10months’ old toddlers. The young generation of today grows up in the “touch era”. They are always swiping and touching on screens to learn and play. We deemed this mode as purely using technology. Everyone can be a user of technology. However, we should be advocating the young to be creators of technology.

Together with Singapore’s vision to move towards Smart Nation by 2024, we do affirm the fact that coding is gaining popularity day by day. Coding goes beyond creating software or website. We have witnessed how technology is shaping the world. There is an increasing demand for everyone to be equipped with basic computer literacy. We moved from barter trade, to cash system in buy and sell transactions. Today, we are heading towards cashless system; whereby everyone will need to be in contact with technology. As time goes on, we do not just need people whom know how to operate a cashless register, but to know how to modify to suit the operations. In essence, we do not need future workers whom are able to do a routine task well. We need future workers whom can think creatively and act with initiative. We need workers who can provide creative solutions to real world problems. In the near future, do not know how to code may be equivalent to the situation of do not know how to read. The kids will not only gain higher-order thinking skills but a chance to choose exciting and more challenging jobs in the future.

We strongly believe that children should be exposed to learn to code, to be opened to a whole world full of possibilities. It is similar to picking up a new language skill or learning to swim. Just like learning to swim, parents will always start the children from young. So we trust that parents should also start the children at a young age to learn to code. It is a life skill. Parents might be concerned that it is hard for the kids to learn to code, but in reality, it is quite easy so as long the kids are able to start.

Kids are made better thinkers and communicators when they learn to code. They are able to unleash their creativity juice and they have never failed to surprise the adults. While picking up coding, they are learning computational thinking. Computational thinking is not as simple and direct as solving problem with computers. The kids learn to break up a problem into smaller tasks; put up their design thinking caps; think critically and logically; and resolve the tasks consequentially. It is always advantageous to start learning at young age. Instead of nagging at your kids whom are obsessed with video games, challenge them to code their own games to challenge their friends J !

Parents should be assured that kids should not only limit to “using” smartphones and tablets, there is more to look out for. The kids should be equipped with coding skill in this technology oriented world!

Credits to http://www.theedadvocate.org/why-learning-to-code-is-so-important-for-children/