Has your child shown an interest in coding? Learning code can set students up for success in today’s increasingly tech-based, digital world. Coding can help sharpen some fundamental soft skills and open the door to exciting career opportunities.
Read on to learn why kids should learn to code early and how weekly online coding classes can get them there.
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1. Coding Boosts Digital Literacy
First, coding through an online school can strengthen digital literacy. Being able to interact with technology in a purposeful and meaningful way can give students confidence in their traditional classrooms, as well as later in life, during post-secondary studies and beyond.
Learning how to navigate computers and the online world, both through coding and through taking courses virtually — and all from an early age — will demystify technology and help students distinguish between fact and fiction.
2. Coding Improves Problem-Solving Skills
Regardless of the coding language — Python, Java, JavaScript, C++. or C#s — some degree of problem-solving skills are needed.
Learning to code helps build computational thinking — learning how to think and process problems as a computer would, which includes breaking issues into smaller problems to find patterns or a commonality. Children who learn this level of problem-solving can build key skills, such as critical thinking, logical deduction and patience — skills that will prove valuable in their daily lives.
3. Coding Encourages Creativity
Whether kids are coding a website, a chatbot, or, most excitingly, a computer game, their creativity and freethinking skills can be encouraged and pushed to their limits.
It can be all too easy for kids to want to assimilate at their brick-and-mortar school for fear of standing out or looking silly. On the other hand, when learning in an online classroom — ideally with a small number of students — kids can be as creative as they’d like.
When children learn to code, they can explore concepts and ideas in a low-risk space where they’re encouraged to think outside the box and let their imaginations run wild.
4. Coding Finesses Communication Skills on Virtual Platforms
You’d be remiss to assume that coding is a solo endeavour; in fact, coders often belong to teams that work in tandem with one common goal.
For this reason, learning coding online is a fantastic way to teach kids how to communicate effectively from a remote space, as well as how to collaborate in a constructive and effective manner. Ultimately, it can lead them to be a better team player.
5. Coding Can Ignite an Interest in Learning
Coding can also show kids who are going through a period of disillusionment with their everyday school that learning can be fun. When kids are learning how to code online, they’re often unaware that they’re developing a core understanding of certain STEM concepts.
6. Learning to Code Online Boosts Online Safety
Last but not least, when kids learn to code online with expert tutelage and guidance, they’ll learn how to recognize signs of hacking. Further, since their critical thinking skills are being tested, they’ll be able to confidently discern the good from the bad when it comes to inbound emails and opening questionable websites.
In an ever-evolving digital age, teaching kids to code online gives them essential tools, including problem-solving, critical thinking, awareness of online safety, and stronger communication skills. These are key transferable skills that will help them navigate different chapters throughout their lives.