Computer classes in new education plans lauded by tech expert
David Alston says coding is like digital Play-Doh and empowers children to be innovative
New Brunswick's new 10-year education plans, which include computer programming as a key learning tool from elementary school on up, are getting an A-grade from a leading tech expert who pitched the idea three years ago.
David Alston is at the forefront of preaching about teaching children to "code."
"It's almost like Play-Doh, but in a totally digital way," he said with a laugh.
Coding is a tool that "empowers kids to be problem-solvers," to be innovative, and to be collaborative, said Alston.
He was the vice-president of marketing and community for Radian6, a social media tracking company that sold for $325 million in 2011.
In 2013, Alston took the stage at a New Brunswick awards dinner, and posed this question: "Is there a chance that we could bring in computer programming as a mandatory part of the curriculum for math? … If you want a person to do that, I will do that, because I think it's really important."
A year later, Alston was on the road with a New Brunswick government employee, René Boudreau, travelling the world to gather information about best practices on teaching coding in school.
Alston believed teaching kids coding — to understand how to write the instructions that make a robot move, or a coffee machine to dispense — will allow them to create their own future.
He contends a documentary called Code Kids that aired on CBC Television helped increase the groundswell of support for tech innovation in the classroom.
I might have … kicked the rock to start it down the hill, but hundreds have been involved.- David Alston, tech expert
Now, three years after he volunteered to push the idea of mandatory coding, it's in black and white in New Brunswick's education plans, announced on Thursday.
The plans, entitled "Everyone at their best" for the anglophone sector, and "Donnons à nos enfants une longueur d'avance," for the francophone sector, set a target of 90 per cent enrolment in technology programs by 2025.
Asked what influence he thought he had on that decision, Alston replied: "One of my favourite Ted Talks is this crazy shirtless guy one, and it's this one person who is willing to be out there on the hill, dancing crazy, but it takes No. 2, 3, 4 and 5 to start a creative movement. I might have been the first person to put up my hand and volunteer, but there were hundreds waiting in the wings."
"I might have … kicked the rock to start it down the hill, but hundreds have been involved. It wouldn't be anywhere near where it is today if it wasn't for everyone within the Department [of Education], to the folks at Brilliant Labs, to the teachers, to the parents, to the media — everyone has supported it."
While Colin Steeves prepares his Fredericton classroom for this year's students, he talks about the coding exercise he gives his Grade 4 students every week. He says it's another tool to get the children to problem solve, especially if they can't get it to work.
"Oh definitely. And some of the kids have a hard time when their code doesn't work, they get frustrated, and then it's learning how to overcome and stepping back and really try to find the problem, where it went wrong, and trying to fix it," he said.
"So there's a problem solving and critical thinking aspect to it. And the other thing that's neat is when we're doing those activities [is] that they start asking each other, 'Can you look at this? Can you read this over?' And that's a great practice."
Other priorities of the education plans include establishing a culture of belonging, improving literacy, and numeracy skills, ensuring proficiency in fundamental language skills, and fostering leadership, citizenship and entrepreneurial spirit.
No details about the cost of the plans, or how the goals will be achieved, have been provided.
Education Minister Brian Kenny described them as "high level" plans, where the government sets goals, while giving local schools and school districts the tools to reach those goals according to their own challenges and opportunities.