It’s a Digital World
Technology is everywhere. Coding and computer literacy arebecoming as important as reading, writing, and math. Learning how to code on a programmable robot can help studentsunderstand the world around them better. Most people don’t understand howtechnology works, and often take it for granted. Sufficiently advancedtechnology can appear to be magic unless the systems and coding that make itwork are understood. This gives students a greater appreciation for thetechnology working all around them. Coding can have a real-world impact, which increasesengagement as students see how they can effect the world around them.
Coding Builds Career Skills
Coding is a skill that can quickly turn into a career. Oraclenoted in 2015 that there were 6.8 million job openings in the U.S. thatrequired coding skills. They predicted that there would be a 7.2% growth acrossall jobs requiring coding skills in the next 10 years. The ability to build a robot kit and program it willteach skills that can transfer to any number of jobs across a variety of jobsectors. Plus, coding experience can give students a competitive advantage whenapplying for colleges and scholarships.
Coding Teaches Creative Problem-Solving and Collaboration
When coding, there can be multiple viable answers to aproblem. Students learn creativity and critical thinking while solving theseproblems. They can express themselves in this language, creating their own codeand breaking complex problems down into smaller, solvable parts. They learnpersistence and to keep working at a complex problem until it is solved.
Students can use teamwork, tacklingdifferent parts of the problem, and in turn, learn collaboration andcommunication. Figuring out how to make a drone kit fly around obstacles byfollowing the code thata team created teaches all of these skills. A team canuse the kit to learn how to code a flying drone, enter it in competition, and workto win through persistence and creative problem-solving. These skills directlytranslate to experience that’s useful in careers and life.
Coding Activates the Brain
A 2014study found that five different parts of the brain were activated whilestudents analyzed code for comprehension. The sections were related to memory,attention, and language processing. Language processing, in particular, wasdeemed essential to understanding the program and how it worked.
Encourage Diversity and Inclusivity
Anyone can learn to code. Any race, gender, or religion cansit down at a computer and write code. Encouraging this diversity andinclusivity early on in a student’s life can lead to more diversity andinclusivity in STEM fields later in life.
About Robolink
Established in 2012, Robolink encourages students to engagewith STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) using robotics kits that arefun,cute, and packed with real tech. They are passionate about robotics,engineering, and education, and believe in nurturing future inventors andinnovators. They currently operate in two learning centers in San Diego, CA,and run after-school programs in 15 elementary and middle schoolsthroughout SanDiego County. Their mission is to make STEM education accessible, engaging, andfun for bothstudents and hobbyists.
See for yourself how Robolink’s educational robot and dronekits can help youor your classroom learn to code at www.robolink.com
