Embracing Technology at an Early Age
Computer science is driving job growth and innovation worldwide, with most of the projected jobs in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) requiring significant computer skills. At the same time, the breadth of industries that mandate advanced computer skills is increasing. The fact is, in today’s digital world, technology skills are as important as reading, writing, and arithmetic. With the rapid advancement of technology on a yearly basis, kids need to embrace technology early on so they are better equipped to function in the world of tomorrow.
In a post by Eric Smith, the Senior Vice President of Product Development at Middlebury Interactive Languages, Smith said, “When it comes to introducing young children to technology, there are three key aspects to keep in mind:
Learning to use technology
Learning with technology
Learning about technology”
To be prepared, kids need to have a working understanding of current technologies and confidence in their ability to master newer and more complex tools. However, to engage kids to learn these skills, it needs to come across as a form of entertainment rather than an extension of school. We recently came across a company called Youth Digital, the developers of an online learning platform revolutionizing technology education. Their online project-based tech courses teach kids to code, design, develop, animate and more. In every lesson students learn how to add new elements to their project. Because students are working on an exciting project that they care about, they are motivated to tackle new skills. The end result is a professional-looking final project that they’ll be proud to share with family and friends. Examples of the courses include:
· Mod Design 1 – Create Your Own Minecraft Mod: From their coding courses selection, students learn how to make real mods just like the pros. They’ll learn how to add new items, tools, blocks, armor, entities, and achievements into the game that they coded and designed from scratch. Kids will learn Java - the most widely-used programming language in the world, plus Industry-standard Coding Skills, and more. No prior experience needed!
· Fashion Design 1 – Design your Own Fashion Collection: From their design courses selection, kids learn digital illustration techniques and industry standard design concepts as they design and create every part of their own fashion collection. The student learns how to create a mood board, customer story, fabric patterns, and of course your garments and accessories for each look. No prior experience needed!
· 3D Animation 1 – Create your Own 3D Movie: From their animation courses selection, kids learn to bring characters to life as they animate their movements and their world. With a focus on the 12 basic principles of
animation, kids will learn a wide variety of animation skills and concepts that will give them a broad arsenal of animation knowledge from keyframes to camera movements.
Each course is jam packed with lessons, quizzes, and challenges that students can complete at their own pace. Kids can pause, rewind or rewatch videos any time as they move through the course. Each course teaches kids to use software that is the same or similar to the tools used by professionals. By the end of a course, students gain a working knowledge of industry-standard skills on par with high school-level courses.
Recommended for ages 8 to 14.
For more information, visit: http://www.youthdigital.com/
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Contribution by Stephanie Threinen