COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK
Called the largest learning event in history, Computer Science Education Week aims to get K-12 students excited about computer coding. During the second week in December, students are encouraged to take part in an “Hour of Code.”
Another name for computer coding is programming. Coding involves telling the computer what to do by writing out instructions. Although computer users don’t see it, coding is everywhere. Any type of computer device, such as desktop computers, tablets, and smartphones uses coding. Coding is used to create websites and apps. Computer coding even tells robots what to do.
Along with coding, this week also promotes the importance of computer science. This is an important subject because it teaches problem-solving and analytical skills. Computer science also benefits society in many ways.
- It helps charities streamline their donations and help meet the financial needs of nonprofit organizations.
- Computer science connects people throughout the world through social media, video calling, and chatting apps.
- It also enables weather forecasters to make better predictions so that people are alerted more quickly, thus saving more lives.
- The technology creates access to education, where there were once barriers due to location, ability, or finances.
Another great thing about computer science is that the jobs in this field are expected to grow by 13 percent by 2026. This is much faster than average for all occupations. For this reason alone, students should be taking computer science classes all the way through college.
HOW TO OBSERVE #ComputerScienceEducationWeek
More than 200,000 “Hour of Code” events are held during this week in over 180 countries. During this week, schools are encouraged to let their students engage in the “Hour of Code” event.
If you’re not a student, you can still learn to code. You can even teach yourself. The first thing you’ll need to do is figure out what computer programming language you want to use. Some of these include HTML, CSS, and Javascript. You can learn to code by book, taking an online course, or use an interactive tutorial.
Don’t forget to share this educational week on social media with #ComputerScienceEducationWeek or #CSEdWeek
COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION WEEK HISTORY
Computing in the Core coalition organized the first Computer Science Education Week in 2009. Many partners, including Google, Inc., Intel, and the National Science Foundation (NSF), helped to fund the special week. The week of December 9th was chosen in honor of Grace Hopper’s birthday. Hopper was born on December 9th, 1906, and is known as a pioneer of computer programming.
In 2013, Hadi Partovi, founder, and CEO of Code.org organized a new idea and theme called “Hour of Code.” Over 15 million students across 167 countries participated in the “Hour of Code” event. In 2015, the “Hour of Code” reached 100 million hours, making Computer Science Education Week the largest education campaign in history. Because of its popularity and widespread participation, the “Hour of Code” continues to be an ongoing theme.