A presentation at DDDPerth in in Perth WA, Australia by Courtney Weaver
The Highs and Lows of Teaching the Next Generation to Code Courtney Weaver
Hands up if… You graduated high school in 2020 or later
Hands up if… You have children currently in school or who have graduated since 2020
Digital Technologies 2018
Digital Technologies Kindy to Year 10
Digital Technologies Compulsory to end of Year 8
Does it include… Algorithms
Does it include… Algorithms
Does it include… Basics of using Office applications (eg. Word, Powerpoint)
Does it include… Basics of using Office applications (eg. Word, Powerpoint)
Does it include… Project Management
Does it include… Project Management
Does it include… Data Analysis
Does it include… Data Analysis
Does it include… Graphic design skills (eg. Photoshop, Canva)
Does it include… Graphic design skills (eg. Photoshop, Canva)
Does it include… Data Representation (eg. Binary)
Does it include… Data Representation (eg. Binary)
Does it include… Block Coding (eg. Scratch, Blockly)
Does it include… Block Coding (eg. Scratch, Blockly)
Does it include… Basic OS Skills (eg. File/Folder Management)
Does it include… File/Folder Management, Basic OS Skills
Does it include… Typing
Does it include… Typing
Does it include… Text-Based Coding (eg. Python)
Does it include… Text-Based Coding (eg. Python)
Digital Technologies Curriculum Evaluation Specification Implementation Design Data Representation Digital Systems Data Acquisition and Interpretation Privacy and Security Adapted from Paula Christophersen: Digital Technologies in a Nutshell
Kindy Sequence Selection Basic Iteration Variables For, Repeat, While Nested Selection Functions Data Structures Logical Operators 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Digital Literacy General Capability
NAPICT – Percentage meeting ICT Proficiency
NAPICT – Students meeting ICT Proficiency 70 65 65 62 61 % Students 60 56 57 55 50 46 45 40 35 2005 2008 2011 2014 AU Yr 6 WA Yr 6 AU Yr 10 2017 WA Yr 10 2022
ICT Proficiency The number of year 10 students in 2022 who DID NOT meet ICT Proficiency
What is ICT Proficiency? Level Sample Task 6 Create a presentation for a target audience 5 Improve the usability of a design by placing a button in a useful space 4 Posts text from a webpage as a conversation thread in Teams 3 Can figure out a file name based on other file names. 2 Identifies task duration on a Gantt chart. 1 Locates and clicks a link to a website in Teams Yr 10 Yr 6
More than 122 000 15 year olds can’t do this…
Why? • • • • • • • iPads and phones Assumption of the Digital Native Teacher capability and confidence Equitable access Student behaviour Student literacy Loss of resilience and perserverance
What can you do as parents? • Ask your kids about what they are learning in Digital Technologies at school • Ask them about what they learn about the general capability • Ask your school how they approach both subjects and if they understand the difference • Get your kids involved at home!
What can you do as developers? • Build education products that teach the how • Build education products that don’t eliminate productive struggle • Volunteer to run coding clubs • Volunteer to upskill teachers!
What can you do as “the industry”? • Donate devices • Run industry days - teachers and students • Contribute to ensure the curriculum aligns with your needs as an industry • Create competitions for students to get their engagement • Co-design resources
How to start? ECAWA Educational Computing Association of WA www.ecawa.wa.edu.au vicepresident@ecawa.wa.edu.au LinkedIn: courtneycodecraft Facebook: courtneyweaversprokit Email: courtney@sprok.it Website: sprok.it
Thank you Contact Details LinkedIn: courtneycodecraft Facebook: courtneyweaversprokit Email: courtney@sprok.it Website: sprok.it
Teaching the next generation to code is equal parts rewarding and chaotic. As a Digital Technologies and Computer Science teacher for Years 7–12 in WA public schools and former Head of Education at a national edtech “learn to code” platform I’ve seen the full spectrum: from kids writing elegant algorithms to others creatively crashing Python in three lines. In this talk, I’ll share the surprising highs and frustrating lows of teaching coding to young people, including what actually works in the classroom, what adult developers often get wrong about how kids learn, and why syntax is only a small part of the story. We’ll also look at how teaching code can foster problem-solving, resilience, and ethical thinking in tomorrow’s technologists. Whether you’re an educator, developer, or just curious, you’ll walk away with fresh insights, a few laughs, and a new appreciation for how the next generation is learning to code and how it might reshape how we all do.
The following resources were mentioned during the presentation or are useful additional information.
Organisation which supports teachers and the teaching of Digital Technologies, Digital Literacy and Computer Science in WA. Get in contact to collaborate to support teachers and students in these areas or for more information about these subject areas.
Details of the National Assessment Program ICT that took place in 2022
Blog post detailing the decline in student digital literacy, the causes and what we can do about it.
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