During the “Hour Of Code” week of December 7th-11th over 500 students in the North Reading Middle School and High School and all students in the 3 elementary schools participated in a variety programming and coding activities. The Hour of Code is a Global event promoted by the Code.org organization which introduces students to programmatic thinking and a stronger understanding of the benefits of learning computer science concepts. A focus is placed on showing students how problem solving and coding skills are not as mysterious a one might think and having a basic understanding of computer science concepts will be essential to their future.
The goal for the North Reading Digital Learning Department was to expand the event outside of single classrooms and offer the event as a school wide event in the MS and HS in which teachers could participate by bringing their classes to the new Distance Learning Lab and Media Center to experience the activities. The event was met with great support as all Middle School students participated and 3 full days of High School classes participated as well.
With the help of Shereen Tyrrell, Executive Director Of MassTLC (Massachusetts Technology Education Leadership Council Education Foundation) and also a North Reading resident, great professionals from the world of software development and engineering were recruited to speak with the students about their experiences in their careers and share their work and educational experience. These professionals included Jeff Delaney, VP of Engineering at Ericsson, Adity Dokania, Software Engineer at Kensho Technologies and David Kelley, Software Engineer at Amazon Robotics. Each of these professionals captivated the students and brought to light the meaning behind their participation and how these skills can be an important part of their future.
The benefit of implementing the “Hour Of Code” at this level is the increased exposure that the students get to recognizing that the world of programming and software development can be for everyone. Students see how coding and programming plays a part in their everyday life and can be a great field to consider for a career. The speakers enhance the “Hour Of Code” experience by encouraging students to try the activities and provide the authentic presence of a “professional” in the classroom.
Expanding our participation shows that we value these skills in our schools. When students are urged to think about their future we provide them with an inspiration that fuels them to think outside of the box and encourages them to develop a vision for their future. The “Hour Of Code” supports the vision for enhancing curriculum offerings related to computer science and web development and helps students see the big picture of their education.
