Coding powers the digital world we live in. Every single website, app, computer program, calculator, even a microwave requires coding to operate. Coding is the answer to the everyday technology most of us now use. From web searches, to cell phones and smartwatches my generation revolves around technology (good and bad!). For some, coding isn’t just a job, it’s also a hobby and something we do for fun. But the real question for me is, “why is coding so important for students like myself to learn”?
According to the International Business Times, in the next ten years, there will be 1.4 million job opening in the computer programming field, but only 400,000 graduates will qualify for these roles. The students in my class dream of going to the most prestigious schools in the country like M.I.T, Stanford, and Harvard. Many of my friends want to grow up to become video game designers, which means they need to start planning the courses they will take in junior high and high school. In order to become one of the 400,000 graduates with the skills to be a programmer we have to think about coding and technology right now … even in the 6th grade.
Coding is one of the most important skills for students to have. Coding gives students access to the digital world and opens doors to gain the skills needed to get a prestigious job when they grow up, plus access their creative sides. Coding is basically the new pencil and paper. You wouldn’t want to keep students from being left behind in the digital world, right? Let’s make coding and other tech skills part of what we learn in the classroom.
Jenny is a 6th grader at Ocala STEAM Academy. She loves to write and hopes to pursue a career in performance arts when she grows up.
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Looking for more coding opportunities? Find more coding tools and resources for students, parents, and educators at microsoft.com/hourofcode.
