Although modern-day children are able to keep pace with quickly changing technology, some teachers are saying that simply knowing how to use a computer is not enough; students need to learn the code that makes them work.
Keith Tremorin, a Red River College student, is studying computer programing to secure his place in the business world of tomorrow.
“I don’t think taking business courses (alone) is really viable anymore,” said Tremorin. He is currently enrolled in the college’s Business Information Technology Program. It’s a hybrid program offering a combination of business courses along with web and app development training.
The University of Winnipeg said its computer science courses have seen a 20 per cent increase in admissions.
According to Dr. Simon Liao, chair of the University of Winnipeg’s Computer Science Department, any major student needs basic knowledge of programing.
However, not all secondary institutions agree. The Dean of Red River College’s School of Business and Applied Arts thinks not all students need the extra coding education to find work in the future.
“Very much like you don’t need to be a mechanic to drive a car,” said RRC Dean Graham Thomson. “But having some idea of the basics, especially if something goes wrong, is pretty useful.”
It is the same philosophy inspiring the Hour of Code.
Students in Winnipeg, and around the world, will take part in the Hour of Code during the week of December 9. The idea is to give kids an idea of how technology works while giving them the foundation to pursue the jobs of the future.
