Coding creations
Students showcase programming skills at Provincial Coding Arcade
Island students showcased their new computer programming skills at the first Provincial Coding Arcade earlier this week. Approximately 50 students in grades 4, 5, and 6 took part in the arcade at Cornwall’s Eliot River School, where they presented the coding projects they created in the classroom over the year.
Many of the students developed their own video games to demonstrate the concepts they learned.
“We commend the students and their innovative teachers on the amazing projects that resulted from this year’s introduction of coding to Island classrooms,” said Education Minister Doug Currie.
“The coding, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills they are learning today will help to prepare them to compete for the jobs of tomorrow.”
Through the Coding Quest program, 35 teachers took training to help grades 4 to 6 students learn the language of computing and basic programming skills.
The initiative was supported by $15,000 in funding from the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. “Coding is quickly becoming
a core competency in many workplaces,” said Economic Development and Tourism Minister Heath MacDonald. Coding Quest challenges students
to apply critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving and science, technology and engineering and math (STEM) skills. The program was developed
by The Learning Partnership, a national charity dedicated to advancing public education through partnerships with Canadian schools and stakeholders.
The program will be evaluated and plans will be made to offer the program to more Island teachers, students, and schools next year.