Computational thinking for school curriculum

The Herald reports:

“Computational thinking” and “designing and developing digital outcomes” will become part of New Zealand’s core curriculum for all children in the first 10 years of school from next year.

Prime Minister Bill English and Education Minister Nikki Kaye visited Newmarket School in Auckland today to unveil a $40 million package to retrain teachers and help schools implement the new curriculum subjects, including a “national digital championship” modelled on an Israeli example.

“All young people from Years 1 to 10 will take part in digital technologies learning,” Kaye said.

“Students [in Years 11 to 13] choosing digital technologies pathways for NCEA will develop the more specialised skills that industry partners say are in high demand, through new achievement standards being developed for NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3.”

Sounds good. Very much needed.

Kaye said the $40 million support package would include $24 million to “upskill” more than 40,000 teachers.

The kids often know more than the teachers!

There will also be around $330,000 in $1000 scholarships from the Ministry of Youth Development, to support young people to develop innovative enterprises, including products or businesses, that have a digital focus.

Kid entrepreneurs. I love it. The best antidote to socialism is innovation.