A majority of our schools in the United States do not offer digital literacy classes as part of the curriculum at the elementary & middle school levels. These courses of study are often lumped under the electives umbrella. There’s a lot of talk about technology in schools, but the funding source alone can take years before a program is implemented.
Sure, there may be a school “Technology Day” on the calendar once a year, but this does not constitute a focus on technology. While many teachers have interactive boards, most children do not actually have regular hands-on use of this technology. School computer labs are often used for online practice to prepare for standardized testing or practicing math and reading.
There are ways to connect children with technology beyond typical online gaming and focus children toward engagement and passion for math and science which can translate into an interest in careers in those fields, an area where the U.S. is lagging behind.
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Imagine children building a village in Minecraft using ratios or learning over 19 different mathematical concepts and logical reasoning through SCRATCH (a coding program from MIT). Taking a group of 6 – 8 year olds and introducing them to the first steps of engineering with Lego Education Robotics and connecting these builds to a computer and coding the technology for movement. The work of a collaborative group of middle school students building the infrastructure of a city from the ground up and then figuring out ways to eliminate the pollution problem which has been created by population growth.
Parents have opportunities and resources available to channel a child's desire to be on the computer by providing educational enrichment opportunities in the areas of S.T.E.A.M. and help prepare them for their future.
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Denise Detamore is the Founder/Director of Advantage Learning Cooperative & Kids4Coding, an academic center focused Technology, Design & Academic Enrichment in Roswell, GA.
