Research shows that gender diversity leads to creativity, productivity, and innovation. However, gender diversity in tech is a serious and self-perpetuating issue. According to the World Bank data, 43% of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) graduates in India are women, which is the highest in the world, but their share in STEM jobs in India is a mere 14% indicating that there is a leaky pipeline.

An Observer Research Foundation report tells us that the reasons for the paucity of women in STEM jobs range from unequal responsibilities at home, gendered stereotypes, and internalized self-limiting beliefs to limited organizational support and discrimination within systems. Women in STEM face a lot of challenges, including a lack of role models, stressors related to marriage and childbirth, and sexual and other types of harassment at work.

To bring diversity in tech, it is important to inspire more girls to take up STEM courses including coding. Moreover, the priority should also be to prepare them with the mindset from an early age to keep overcoming the obstacles to pursue a career in STEM. One of the ways could be sharing examples in the classroom of female role models in STEM fields that defy stereotypes can be a powerful tool to motivate girls. Bringing attention to the challenges and dispelling misconceptions can help them prepare for a successful future. While it is considered okay for boys to take risks and fail, girls are sometimes ingrained with the idea that they must be ‘perfect. Girls need to be encouraged to take risks and learn from failures, as engineering is often about this. Coding won\’t just help in jobs but empower girls by building their confidence at an early age. Reshama Soujani beautifully explains beautifully in her Ted Talk “Teach girls bravery, Not perfection.”

At a community level also there should be significant steps taken to support girls to pursue careers in STEM overcoming odds. Gender sensitizing boys at a young age about the problems girls face now and later could be a huge step. Just talking about the UN\’s campaign He for She could be a huge beginning step. The campaign advocates that it\’s important for all genders to fight for gender equality in the world because everyone is and will be affected by this issue one way or another. Encouraging teachers to promote a supportive and inclusive environment within the coding classrooms through differentiated pedagogies could work wonders. 

Finally, parents, community, and companies can together play a role by building a supportive ecosystem where women can thrive in all fields. Just by appreciating smallest achievements and being there in tough times can lead humans to more peace and harmony.

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Undoubtedly, learning to code on a computer is fun and versatile, but not everyone has the privilege to afford a computer at home. Schools too may sometimes lack digital infrastructure. As per UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education) 2017-18 data, only 28.7 percent of schools in rural India and 41.9 percent in urban India have functional computer facilities. In the background of these startling facts, learning to code without a computer may seem illogical, but it makes perfect sense. Unplugging the computer and teaching coding through more familiar mediums such as hands-on activities makes the subject less intimidating and more interactive during the initial stages of learning.   The basic principles of coding teach 21st-century skills like metacognition, problem-solving, abstract thinking and design thinking, and collaboration. These are valuable skills and can be learned without using a computer too. For example, in Finland, kids learn about loops by knitting in an art class. They understand the foundational idea that specific outcomes require particular instructions in a specific order through storytelling.   Platforms like CS Unplugged provide free teaching material that teaches coding skills through engaging games and puzzles that use cards, strings, crayons, and lots of running around. Students can build computational thinking skills through CS Unplugged activities that involve describing a problem at hand, breaking the problem down into small, logical steps, and using these steps to create a process (algorithm) that solves the problem. This algorithm is the code (a set of instructions) that tells a computer to carry out a function.   Code to Enhance Learning (CEL), provides a special series for learning coding without a computer through interactive, hands-on activities like ‘Finding the shortest path’ and ‘3 valuable treasures’ where a trader has to select which all vegetables to transport from the farm to the market to maximize profits, given the truck’s loading capacity and the prices that various vegetables can fetch in the market. This is popularly called the ‘0/1 Knapsack problem’. With activities like these, students learn to solve optimization problems under given constraints.   Many such activities enable students to understand fundamental ways of thinking as they start to visualize problems in a mathematical form. This makes them better prepared to learn programming languages when that time comes.   While coding on a computer is definitely a fun experience, the good news is in case a computer or a desktop is not available, students can easily get initiated on learning coding fundamentals through a game, or through storytelling, as they do in Finland’s classrooms.

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Once the school leaders have decided to introduce coding, they can face many hurdles during implementation. Following are some points school leaders can keep in mind to ensure scaffold integration of coding in their schools. 

• Need and Means Assessment

Various schools may have varying requirements and resources at their disposal. School leaders should first identify the need to introduce coding at different grade levels. Secondly, they should consider constraints like infrastructural availability, teacher’s capability, parent’s affordability, and other administrative and structural requirements while selecting a coding program.

• Outsourcing to experts or training in-house teachers 

In the initial stages of introduction, a school might need help designing a curriculum framework, delivering instruction, monitoring the growth of students, etc. This can be done by: (a) hiring experts from outside who will directly engage with students or (b) providing professional training workshops to in-house teachers or (c) Creating an in-house team to gather and curate resources available in the open domain and implement it. School leaders can choose a program that best suits their needs and means to facilitate effective integration.

• Interdisciplinary learning

There is a need to design the curriculum in such a way that it is context-driven and embedded in mainstream subjects like English, Mathematics, Social Science, and Science. Children should be taught to think of coding as a tool to be explored and utilized across multiple disciplines. For eg., in an English classroom students can code a program in scratch that tells the user which article (a, an, or the) to use before a particular noun. They can also recreate an important event in history using Scratch in the Social Science classroom.

• Milestone Planning

To ensure scaffold integration, schools need to plan milestones to be achieved in advance. It is equally important to continually check for understanding and gain insights into students’ progress. This exercise can be undertaken thrice a year and any changes in students’ needs can be incorporated before moving to the next level. 

• Ensuring parent’s involvement

It is also important to include parents at every step of adopting a coding program. Presenting demos through seminars and workshops is a great way to engage parents and spark students’ interest in the new course. Schools can also organize showcase opportunities where students present their projects and learnings. Taking note of these points and planning meticulously can pave the way for scaffolded integration of coding within the schools in a hassle-free manner. This can ensure a wonderful experience for all the stakeholders involved.

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When we think of teaching coding in a classroom, the first image that comes to mind is of computers and computer science (CS) teachers. However, believing that coding is only for CS teachers is like saying ‘a chalk’ should only be used by an expert. Like chalk is used by all teachers as a teaching aid, similarly, teachers of all subjects can use coding as a tool to make their subject content engaging and interactive. For example, Social Science teachers can use block-based coding to recreate scenes from history. Students too can enjoy applying their coding skills to create a comic book-style program with characters, dialogues, changing backdrops to showcase their understanding of the sequence of events. Similarly, a Mathematics teacher can prompt students to program calculators that do certain calculations or solve equations. Learning simple logical operators and applying them to create a program to solve problems can invoke the interest of those students in mathematics who find it confusing and challenging. In English language classes, teachers can teach students to build a program that tells the user which article (a, an, or the) to use before a particular noun. Children can be encouraged to pair up with bilingual peers and build a translation dictionary using simple block-based coding applications. In Science, teachers can teach about the food web and ecosystem by coding those relationships and animating them. Click on the deer and they multiply, denuding the landscape of vegetation. Click on the wolves to try to restore some balance, and so forth. Coding can serve as an effective mode of inquiry and expression, and along the way, students can develop computational thinking skills by using ideas such as sequencing, conditionals, debugging, and iterative fixing and testing of programs. Coding has the potential to enhance learning outcomes in a classroom as through this tool students begin to take ownership of their learning process.  But to achieve this, stand-alone computer science classes are not enough, it is important to integrate coding into all mainstream subjects. Teachers from non-tech backgrounds should not succumb to a feeling that it’s too late for them to learn CS fundamentals. With patience and practice, teachers from any background can learn coding and use it to their advantage in the classrooms. This can also motivate far more students to explore the wonderful tool of coding to express themselves and solve problems that impact underserved communities.

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The dreams and aspirations of children are influenced by what they see around them. Schools alone cannot be expected to foster in children the complex combinations of 21st-century skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and communication that they will need in the future. It is vital to bring coding to children and connect the world of learning and work to provide better exposure and ensure holistic development. Here are some ways in which the industrial community can motivate children to learn to code to build 21st-century skills: (1)  Organizing excursions to job sites: Short trips to job sites can enrich school learning by providing a change in ambiance to the students. They can witness the real-world application of CS fundamentals. Such simulations can help in confidence-building as they meet new people and engage in fun activities related to robotics and automation. (2)  Mentoring and Guest lecturers: Schools can invite industrial experts to talk about the importance of coding in building 21st-century skills and share their diverse experiences with students. These interactions can spark the interest of many students and encourage teachers to move beyond usual pedagogy. For higher grade students, industry exposure can help them build connections with professionals outside their usual family networks. (3)  Direct engagement through employee volunteering activities Corporate companies can organize employee engagement activities in partnership with non-profits or schools that are dedicated to imparting 21st skills to students. Employees can contribute by providing feedback on the curriculum design, thereby, bridging the gap between industry and school. While bringing workplace experience to classroom teaching can result in broad benefits to students, it’s a win-win for the industrial fraternity too. Interaction with children allows professionals a breather from the workplace hustle by connecting them to the roots. They can derive satisfaction by sharing their learning with children. Engaging in volunteering activities can also enhance employees’ communication skills and help them develop personality by providing a fresh perspective. Collaborating with industry and the community is vital to better prepare children and young people for future work and life.

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According to ASER 2018, an important national source of information about children’s foundational skills, there are significant gaps between what a child can do and what they are expected to do. Data shows, nationally, more than 40% of Class 1 children were unable to recognize letters of the alphabet, let alone read words or connect text.  These gaps emerge early in a child\’s school trajectories and widen as they move through the system. So does teaching coding make sense when children are already struggling with basic language and numeracy parameters? In fact, it does! Coding is a new building block. It is a simple tool that instructs a machine to perform a task. Coding might look like a foreign language, but it’s a language anyone can pick up quite easily. Visual applications like MIT Scratch make learning coding creative and fun for kids by combining art, logic, and storytelling. Children are alive and unique! For this reason, children should be introduced to various ways of learning so that they have the freedom to use what they can understand best. It is not necessary or beneficial to hold a child back from exploring the world of coding until basic literacy levels are attained. As long as your child is learning and developing cognitive abilities, it does not matter if every single word is learned before a child moves ahead in coding.  Learning is a mix of sequential and non-sequential activities. Research shows that children’s confidence and sense of agency grows when they are allowed to free-play and explore using their own sense of scientific inquiry. It is actually a good idea to introduce a coding curriculum in the early years that teaches lessons with visual (sight), kinesthetic (touch), and phonetic (sound) components, rather than sticking with only the way(s) they appear to learn best at a particular time.  Not only that, coding is a fantastic skill for life. It strengthens logical thinking and problem-solving skills – vital in many different areas of life.

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Coding is a fantastic skill for life. Coding helps students think logically, visualize, and express themselves or talk about societal issues. It inculcates problem-solving skills – vital in many different areas of life. The best way to learn to code is to just dive in. Here are some good sources kids can use to learn to code:

• Code.org

Code.org has thoughtfully designed a set of free resources for all grade levels that are bound to get students hooked on learning to code. It is easy for students to access on their own. The dashboard of the course shows the number of milestones finished by the student. The courses use a block-based approach, but students can choose to see the text-based code that is generated. Code.org has an exhaustive curriculum with engaging activities allowing students to work at their own pace and stay challenged. There are many activities designed for kids in the classroom environment too. 

• Creative Computing Curriculum (MIT Scratch) 

The Creative Computing Curriculum is a collection of ideas, strategies, and activities for an introductory creative computing experience using the Scratch programming language. Scratch is a free block coding website for kids which consists of graphical blocks that snap together. It is being widely used in over 130+ countries. It requires no internet and the coding curriculum is perfect for kids aging 8 to 16. It also has a massive online community for sharing projects and learning from them. While this application is connected with surroundings and is a stepping stone into the world of coding, it does not offer the next step into text-based coding languages.

• Code to Enhance Learning

CEL provides coding programs to elementary grade children. It also has a separate coding program for teachers where they train and support teachers. Their USP is that anyone without any expertise in coding can take this program. The program is focused on developing 21st-century skills – critical thinking, creativity, perseverance, and collaboration – in students. Their curriculum is well suited for the Indian context.

• CS Unplugged

The computer science (CS) unplugged approach intends to teach CS concepts and computational thinking skills without employing any digital tools. It involves a series of logical exercises using low-cost material like paper, string, balls, etc to teach students the logic behind coding. Their focus is on teaching fundamentals and not particular software or systems. As you can see, there are many websites and courses. Kids can start with those that suit their age and interests them, and from there the possibilities are endless!

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Coding is a wonderful device for creating, exploring, and experimenting. But as we shift from conventional instructional learning to student-centered education in collaborative learning environments, the role of the teacher is changing too. A teacher plays an incredibly important role in a coding class, but it’s not limited to delivering instructions, it includes:

• Need Assessment 

A teacher should, first, understand the needs of the students. Students may belong to different backgrounds and may grasp at different speeds. Some students take coding classes for exposure while others like to learn advanced concepts.

• Designing Curriculum

Teachers should then design a curriculum to meet those needs and promote the holistic development of the child. Activities curated should be engaging and embedded in day-to-day surroundings so that it holds the interest of the students. Instructors can follow a pedagogy that suits classroom constraints like – age distribution, size of the groups, availability of digital infrastructure, etc, and encourage self-paced learning. An innovative and wide range of assessment methods including multiple choices, subjective, activity-based, and reflective exercise-based assessments can be used to understand learning outcomes in children. 

• Facilitator, Catalysts, and Consultants 

The teacher acts as a facilitator by connecting students with one another to work together on solving problems. They also act as catalysts by asking provocative questions like: “What do you think will happen if we do this?” or “Why does this happen?”. They’re consultants, too, and it’s not just about consulting on technical skills, but also about things like how to continue to work on something even when you are frustrated, or suggesting strategies for working with diverse groups of students. 

• Creating a safe learning environment 

Inside a coding class, the teacher can be a collaborator, working together with kids on projects. This helps in creating a safe learning environment for all children with varied needs and capabilities. Parents and community members too can be involved to boost the morale of the kids.   Coding classes call for new ways to engage students and make learning fun. Let us know in the comments below, ways in which teachers can make learning coding interactive for kids.

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Many research studies suggest that a child’s learning scale is highly related to how they are treated at home. Parents are the kid\’s first teachers and role models in their learning phase. Giving good support to kids in their education really lifts their spirit for learning. Children today are growing up in a fast-paced and highly technology-driven environment, very different from the one their parents grew up in. As coding skills gain importance in the 21st century, here are some key points that parents should keep in mind as they introduce their children to the world of coding.

• Learning to code makes screen time, educational and fun!

With screens virtually everywhere, parents fear that screen times will disrupt childhood and keep their kids from getting and moving. Coding; through interactive, problem-solving activities turns passive screen watching into active screen time. Through coding children learn how to create games instead of playing games which builds cognitive abilities significantly.

• Coding is important for all professions, not just programmers.

Like reading, writing, and speaking; coding is a tool that helps in the development of cognitive skills. Students learn to detect patterns and deconstruct a problem. This helps a child even if he/she doesn’t want to become a programmer because it prompts them to start thinking logically. 

• Selecting an appropriate curriculum for your children

Parents should make sure that the coding curriculum they choose is age-appropriate and suits their child’s abilities. One should go for a program that is engaging, embedded in surroundings and promotes the holistic development of a child. For example, CEL follows a scaffold approach to bring coding to children. It starts with a block-based platform to build fundamental concepts and skills. Also, CEL’s lessons are woven around expressing and solving contextual problems connected with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Shifting focus from marks to wholesome learning

A full-proof measure of effective teaching is the learning outcomes in students. An assessment of any kind needs to focus on skill development. Parents, too, need to shift their focus from marks to holistic learning.

• Inculcating a balanced lifestyle

As we move fast into the digital era, parents are encouraged to inculcate healthy lifestyle habits like exercising, reading, etc in their children from an early age. As a parent, you also can develop screen time rules, get involved with children, encourage them to showcase their projects. This creates a safe space for a child to grow and thrive. Coding allows kids to work on projects, based on passion in collaboration with peers, in a playful spirit. But it is a collective responsibility of parents, teachers, and students to harness the power of technology as a positive in their lives.

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One major challenge Indian schools face is a lack of basic digital infrastructure. As per UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education) data, in 2017-18, only 28.7 percent of schools in rural India and 41.9 percent in urban India had functional computer facilities. 

In a great majority of schools in India, teaching-learning still happens in a chalk-n-talk way. UDISE data for 2019-20 reveals that only one in four teachers in India is trained to use a computer. The share of such trained teachers is even lower in government schools. 50% of teachers are trained to teach online in states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab whereas the corresponding numbers are dismally low (around 3%) for states like Bihar and MP. There is an urgent need to provide up-skilling and capacity-building workshops for teachers if we want coding education to become a reality.

Another major challenge numerous teachers face while teaching coding is not knowing which elements to add to their curricula in order to engage students with coding. Designing a context-relevant syllabus that is rich in content and consists of interactive and motivating activities becomes a challenging task for educators. One mistake that many educators make while teaching coding is assuming that the same strategies will work all year long. Code to Enhance Learning (CEL) is a non-profit with a vision that children leverage technology to thrive in the innovative world. CEL’s teacher coding program empowers teachers to teach coding in a fun and hassle-free manner. CEL’s curriculum addresses these challenges by embedding coding with the mainstream subjects.

The educators in the tech space also have to deal with the challenge of helping parents understand why coding is important for kids. At times,  parents from marginalized sections are unable to afford computers and the internet. The 75th round survey on education by the National Statistical Organization (NSO) puts the percentage of households having the internet in rural India at only 14.9 percent and those having computers at 4.4 percent (excluding smartphones). Changing parent’s traditional mindset about screen time is another roadblock in the successful integration of coding curriculum within the schools.

Above mentioned challenges owing to lack of digital infrastructure, untrained teachers, and uninformed parents are some major roadblocks in the integration of coding curriculum within the schools that need urgent attention.

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