INDUSTRY UNLOCKED
AS EDUCATORS AND MENTORS , IT ’ S ESSENTIAL THAT PARENTS AND TEACHERS LEVERAGE CHILDREN ’ S NATURAL INTEREST IN TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE THEIR EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER SUCCESS .
Greater support at home is also required , as less than a third ( 30 %) of parents believe they are able to keep up with the latest technology and digital aspects of learning .
Felix Ohswald , CEO and Co-founder at GoStudent , said : “ Gen Z and Gen Alpha are born digital natives , so it ’ s unsurprising to see that they have an inherent curiosity for technology and digital skills . They have grown up using gadgets and being exposed to the constant evolution of technology , so it ’ s natural that this interest would extend to the school environment .
“ Thankfully , educators are not alone , and for those without backgrounds in coding , there are many helpful resources , websites and apps to make coding for kids fun , to hopefully jumpstart a lifelong interest in coding and careers in STEM subjects .
“ As the world evolves more and more into a digital-first future and the skills gap widens , we need to be preparing a generation of children with the competitive edge they need to enter a career in the tech sector which is desperately calling out for these skills . The key to instilling the right skills and filling this gap will be to develop a more mature IT syllabus from primary school age which integrates coding along with elements like design thinking into learning across all subject areas , and sets children up to be the future engineers , game
“ As educators and mentors , it ’ s essential that parents and teachers leverage children ’ s natural interest in technology to drive their educational and career success . As the world becomes increasingly digital , technological literacy is no longer optional – it ' s a must-have skill that will enable our children to thrive in the future workforce .
“ Our research has also shown that technology also plays a part in making children ’ s learning fun , interactive and allowing for creativity , so it ’ s undeniably something that we should be seeing more of at the core of school curriculums and children ’ s learning .”
A demand for schools to teach technology development and coding stands out for Spain ( 82 %), while parents in Germany ( 66 %) and in Austria ( 64 %) are notably less keen for these tech-focused subjects to be taught in school .
In Spain , 46 % of pupils would rather study coding or environmental topics than maths or science , followed by 39 % in Austria , 38 % in Germany and Italy and 35 % in France and the UK .
Glen Harrington , International Software Sales Manager at SMART Technologies , said : “ Coding comes with wondrous benefits for young minds , teaching skills that go far beyond a computer screen – from critical thinking , creativity , problem solving and persistence . When integrated into curriculums and taught properly , coding can be very engaging , but it can also be daunting for teachers who are not confident about the topic themselves .
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