Learning.com Adds Computational Thinking to Digital Literacy Curriculum
Learning.com has updated its EasyTech digital literacy curriculum to include a new unit on computational thinking.
The self-paced EasyTech curriculum is designed for students in grades K-8 and includes interactive lessons, journals and quizzes designed to help students develop digital literacy and become comfortable with online assessments. Skills covered include digital citizenship, online safety, keyboarding, word processing and media and information literacy.
"Computational thinking, defined as a pathway to problem solving and easily transferable to other academic subjects and even everyday life, lays the groundwork for the updated EasyTech curriculum," according to a news release. "Scheduled for release in time for the 2016-2017 school year, the revised curriculum is in step with President Obama's bold new initiative, Computer Science for All, which empowers K-12 students to learn computer science and develop the computational skills necessary to spur the transition from consumer to creator in today's digital economy. The update is also reflective of the International Society for Technology in Education's (ISTE) plans to revise its Standards for Students to incorporate computational thinking."
"Coding classes are springing up throughout the nation's schools and the challenge is there are very few foundational courses that teach students, especially the youngest students, the skills they need to be successful in coding," said Keith Oelrich, Learning.com CEO, in a prepared statement. "That's our aim. To ensure every student has the foundational skills, specifically computational thinking skills, they need for success."
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Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].