Lead by Caper and Rewired State, Coding for Kids is an initiative to showcase the benefits of creating and understanding computer code.
A public facing programme is being developed with key partners to create â˜big ideasâ™ that inspire parents and children, as well as collating learning resources, allowing everyone explore logic and learn programming languages.
The campaign also aims to lobby government in changing the computer science curriculum, which is already happening. No 10 Downing Street and UK Department of Education have consulted Coding for Kids on the governmentâ™s strategy for developing the computer skills curriculum in UK schools.
Martha Lane Fox (RaceOnline, Lastminute.com) who spearheads government efforts to get the entire population online by 2012, believes that improving the teaching of coding is key to our long-term economic success. She said, âœAnyone with an interest in technology and the future of the UK must support Coding for Kidsâ
Ian Livingstone, (Life President of Eidos and Co-author Next Gen.) said, “Anyone who cares about the future of the UK’s digital industries should strongly consider joining Coding for Kids. Teaching children the fundamentals of computer programming is essential to their operating successfully in the digital world.”
Michael Acton Smith (CEO, Mindcandy), creator of the global phenomenon â˜Moshi Monstersâ™, said, âœThis is a great initiative. Kids are growing up in a world where the ability to code is becoming increasing valuable, not just for entrepreneurial ventures, but within big established corporations as well.â
Coding for Kids is part of Next Gen Skills a lobbying network of organisations including Google, Microsoft and BCS that advocates a review of the curriculum and the stresses the importance of computer science skills for the growth of UKâ™s digital and creative industries.
Wiki: http://codingforkids.org/
Pledge website: www.codingforkids.thinkplaymake.co
Twitter: @codingforkids #codingforkids
âœI am flabbergasted to learn that today computer science isn’t even taught as standard in UK schools…Your IT curriculum focuses on teaching how to use software, but gives no insight into how it is made.” Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman of Google