Monday May 25, 2020 ~ BC
~ West Shore Voice News
From creating online games to building websites, students now have access to free, live online coding workshops through the Ministry of Education website Keep Learning BC.
“Students need programs that will lead to 21st-century careers,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Education in a news release on Sunday morning May 24.
“With new access to live, weekly workshops from across the country through Canada Learning Code, B.C. students can expand their coding education, while learning from experts through real-time programs designed for specific age groups that will help engage young minds,” Fleming said in the news release.
Available at Keep Learning BC:
Now available on Keep Learning BC, Canada Learning Code offers free, live workshops that students and educators can access that help students as young as nine years old learn how to code in different forms. This includes creating websites, online games and generative art, among others.
The Ministry of Education created Keep Learning BC to help students and families stay engaged with their education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since it was launched on March 27 (following the shut-down of in-class learning BC schools in response to the pandemic), Keep Learning BC has been visited by more than 286,300 unique users.
In addition, Canada Learning Code is also planning a virtual coding conference that students will be able to take part in this summer. Classes include Webmaking with HTML & CSS, Gamemaking with Scratch, and Generative Art with Processing. Most classes are grouped for certain ages.
Live online classes:
“We’ve reimagined our popular in-person learning experiences to create live online classes that are optimized for project-based, highly collaborative and interactive learning opportunities,” said Melissa Sariffodeen, CEO of Canada Learning Code.
“At each workshop, there is a team of instructors to help youth discover the power of technology to solve problems and become builders – not just consumers of technology.”
Staying safe online, info for parents:
Along with learning resources, the website also includes helpful guides to maintain routines and stay safe online, giving parents information about how to talk to their children about COVID-19, along with other mental health resources to manage stress or anxiety.
Students, parents, guardians and teachers can find learning resources and accurate, timely information about schools, programs and educational services, including regularly updated frequently asked questions at: www.gov.bc.ca/SafeSchools/
==== RELATED:
For non-health related information, including financial, child care and education supports, travel, transportation and essential service information, visit: www.gov.bc.ca/covid19
Or call 1 888 COVID19 (1 888 268-4319) between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (Pacific time), seven days a week.