you ask a kid what they want to be when they grow up what’s usually the answer
they grow up what’s usually the answer
they grow up what’s usually the answer maybe think it’d be something like a
maybe think it’d be something like a
maybe think it’d be something like a doctor or a firefighter or police
doctor or a firefighter or police
doctor or a firefighter or police officer but a common one I’ve heard is
officer but a common one I’ve heard is
officer but a common one I’ve heard is video game designer if you’re asked my
video game designer if you’re asked my
video game designer if you’re asked my little brother that’s what he’d say he
little brother that’s what he’d say he
little brother that’s what he’d say he wants to do when he grows up and that’s
wants to do when he grows up and that’s
wants to do when he grows up and that’s probably what I would have said when I
probably what I would have said when I
probably what I would have said when I was his age too but coding the skill
was his age too but coding the skill
was his age too but coding the skill needed for this profession is only
needed for this profession is only
needed for this profession is only taught in 25% of schools do you know
taught in 25% of schools do you know
taught in 25% of schools do you know what coding is since it’s often the
what coding is since it’s often the
what coding is since it’s often the subject of confusion coding aka
subject of confusion coding aka
subject of confusion coding aka programming means inputting technology
programming means inputting technology
programming means inputting technology to direct it to do something like
to direct it to do something like
to direct it to do something like instructions I’ve met many kids
instructions I’ve met many kids
instructions I’ve met many kids teenagers and even adults who don’t even
teenagers and even adults who don’t even
teenagers and even adults who don’t even know the most basic ideas of coding for
know the most basic ideas of coding for
know the most basic ideas of coding for example I want to add a friend who
example I want to add a friend who
example I want to add a friend who thought there’s only two coding
thought there’s only two coding
thought there’s only two coding languages when in reality there are
languages when in reality there are
languages when in reality there are hundreds many things we consume every
hundreds many things we consume every
hundreds many things we consume every single day I have people with coding
single day I have people with coding
single day I have people with coding behind them things like Facebook Twitter
behind them things like Facebook Twitter
behind them things like Facebook Twitter Google TV video games it all started
Google TV video games it all started
Google TV video games it all started from me about two and a half years ago
from me about two and a half years ago
from me about two and a half years ago when I just turned 10 years old my
when I just turned 10 years old my
when I just turned 10 years old my parents had bought me a laptop and two
parents had bought me a laptop and two
parents had bought me a laptop and two coding books for Christmas and well I
coding books for Christmas and well I
coding books for Christmas and well I didn’t really end up using the books
didn’t really end up using the books
didn’t really end up using the books themselves the websites the books were
themselves the websites the books were
themselves the websites the books were based off ups helped me a lot the first
based off ups helped me a lot the first
based off ups helped me a lot the first language I learned was scratch created
language I learned was scratch created
language I learned was scratch created by a group of computer programmers out
by a group of computer programmers out
by a group of computer programmers out of MIT
of MIT
of MIT it’s a program mostly for kids but
it’s a program mostly for kids but
it’s a program mostly for kids but really it’s accessible for all ages it
really it’s accessible for all ages it
really it’s accessible for all ages it utilizes a simple drag-and-drop platform
utilizes a simple drag-and-drop platform
utilizes a simple drag-and-drop platform of colorful blocks that can attach
of colorful blocks that can attach
of colorful blocks that can attach together to make a project and project
together to make a project and project
together to make a project and project can be anywhere from games to stories to
can be anywhere from games to stories to
can be anywhere from games to stories to animations I also had the incredible
animations I also had the incredible
animations I also had the incredible opportunity to go to MIT the
opportunity to go to MIT the
opportunity to go to MIT the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to
Massachusetts Institute of Technology to
Massachusetts Institute of Technology to learn another coding language a Python
learn another coding language a Python
learn another coding language a Python not every kid is going to get these
not every kid is going to get these
not every kid is going to get these opportunities though however I believe
opportunities though however I believe
opportunities though however I believe all kids should have access to learned
all kids should have access to learned
all kids should have access to learned code just like all kids should I have
code just like all kids should I have
code just like all kids should I have access to books to read many kids aren’t
access to books to read many kids aren’t
access to books to read many kids aren’t going to be able to go to camps around
going to be able to go to camps around
going to be able to go to camps around laptops coding shouldn’t be a privilege
laptops coding shouldn’t be a privilege
laptops coding shouldn’t be a privilege everyone should have access to it
everyone should have access to it
everyone should have access to it regardless of race gender or class by
regardless of race gender or class by
regardless of race gender or class by not teaching coding at schools the kids
not teaching coding at schools the kids
not teaching coding at schools the kids that can get those skills or gaining
that can get those skills or gaining
that can get those skills or gaining advantages over the kids who just can’t
advantages over the kids who just can’t
advantages over the kids who just can’t and that’s not fair teaching coding in
and that’s not fair teaching coding in
and that’s not fair teaching coding in schools is an uncharted territory either
schools is an uncharted territory either
schools is an uncharted territory either countries like England Australia Holland
countries like England Australia Holland
countries like England Australia Holland some cities and states in the United
some cities and states in the United
some cities and states in the United States and even Canadian provinces like
States and even Canadian provinces like
States and even Canadian provinces like British Columbia and Nova Scotia are
British Columbia and Nova Scotia are
British Columbia and Nova Scotia are already starting to implement these
already starting to implement these
already starting to implement these changes and more definitely to come even
changes and more definitely to come even
changes and more definitely to come even Justin Trudeau our Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau our Prime Minister
Justin Trudeau our Prime Minister recently spoke out in favor of coding
another important point is the
another important point is the engagement of students currently I’m
engagement of students currently I’m
engagement of students currently I’m volunteering once a week to teach a
volunteering once a week to teach a
volunteering once a week to teach a group of grade threes how to code using
group of grade threes how to code using
group of grade threes how to code using scratch they’ve had a couple classes so
scratch they’ve had a couple classes so
scratch they’ve had a couple classes so far and they’re really getting used to
far and they’re really getting used to
far and they’re really getting used to the language they’re fascinated how
the language they’re fascinated how
the language they’re fascinated how they’re able to do even simple things
they’re able to do even simple things
they’re able to do even simple things like making the scratch cat the mascot
like making the scratch cat the mascot
like making the scratch cat the mascot of the website move up and down but here
of the website move up and down but here
of the website move up and down but here in Newfoundland and Labrador there are
in Newfoundland and Labrador there are
in Newfoundland and Labrador there are only two computer coding courses in the
only two computer coding courses in the
only two computer coding courses in the curriculum their elective courses taught
curriculum their elective courses taught
curriculum their elective courses taught in high school and are very difficult to
in high school and are very difficult to
in high school and are very difficult to build off of
build off of
build off of since coding is an essential new
since coding is an essential new
since coding is an essential new literacy shouldn’t be talked too much
literacy shouldn’t be talked too much
literacy shouldn’t be talked too much earlier than late high school after all
earlier than late high school after all
earlier than late high school after all how would we feel if we had to wait till
how would we feel if we had to wait till
how would we feel if we had to wait till late high school to learn how to do
late high school to learn how to do
late high school to learn how to do things like read or write or do math
things like read or write or do math
things like read or write or do math it’s not fair that only these kids in
it’s not fair that only these kids in
it’s not fair that only these kids in this grade 3 class are getting proper
this grade 3 class are getting proper
this grade 3 class are getting proper coding education coding doesn’t only
coding education coding doesn’t only
coding education coding doesn’t only help in technology-based subjects either
help in technology-based subjects either
help in technology-based subjects either for example when I first started coding
for example when I first started coding
for example when I first started coding scratch I didn’t know X&Y positioning
scratch I didn’t know X&Y positioning
scratch I didn’t know X&Y positioning yet a vital part of the language so I
yet a vital part of the language so I
yet a vital part of the language so I asked my parents how to do it and they
asked my parents how to do it and they
asked my parents how to do it and they showed me and when we did it in school I
showed me and when we did it in school I
showed me and when we did it in school I was the only kid who knew it all already
was the only kid who knew it all already
was the only kid who knew it all already but even if these kids don’t pursue a
but even if these kids don’t pursue a
but even if these kids don’t pursue a career in technology I believe they’re
career in technology I believe they’re
career in technology I believe they’re learning a skill that has many benefits
learning a skill that has many benefits
learning a skill that has many benefits who knows maybe they will become a
who knows maybe they will become a
who knows maybe they will become a programmer one day maybe even the next
programmer one day maybe even the next
programmer one day maybe even the next big programmer like Bill Gates or Mark
big programmer like Bill Gates or Mark
big programmer like Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg coding also makes important
Zuckerberg coding also makes important
Zuckerberg coding also makes important contributions to the economy here in
contributions to the economy here in
contributions to the economy here in Newfoundland and Labrador we are a
Newfoundland and Labrador we are a
Newfoundland and Labrador we are a resource-based economy that historically
resource-based economy that historically
resource-based economy that historically focused on renewable resources like fish
focused on renewable resources like fish
focused on renewable resources like fish and forestry non-renewable resources
and forestry non-renewable resources
and forestry non-renewable resources like oils minerals and natural gases the
like oils minerals and natural gases the
like oils minerals and natural gases the two main problems with these resources
two main problems with these resources
two main problems with these resources is that one they can get overused in
is that one they can get overused in
is that one they can get overused in industries can collapse
industries can collapse
industries can collapse for example the kaabah moratorium of the
for example the kaabah moratorium of the
for example the kaabah moratorium of the 1990s and current concerns at the shrimp
1990s and current concerns at the shrimp
1990s and current concerns at the shrimp fishery and too unstable prices
fishery and too unstable prices
fishery and too unstable prices associated markets such as oil and
associated markets such as oil and
associated markets such as oil and natural gas an issue that’s still
natural gas an issue that’s still
natural gas an issue that’s still happening computer science related
happening computer science related
happening computer science related industry on the other hand is such a
industry on the other hand is such a
industry on the other hand is such a bountiful and rapidly growing resource
bountiful and rapidly growing resource
bountiful and rapidly growing resource that it’s only becoming more important
that it’s only becoming more important
that it’s only becoming more important in fact by 2019 Canada will have one
in fact by 2019 Canada will have one
in fact by 2019 Canada will have one hundred and eighty two thousand open IT
hundred and eighty two thousand open IT
hundred and eighty two thousand open IT jobs and that’s only IT but without the
jobs and that’s only IT but without the
jobs and that’s only IT but without the proper skills to fulfill these jobs
proper skills to fulfill these jobs
proper skills to fulfill these jobs people just won’t be able to do them and
people just won’t be able to do them and
people just won’t be able to do them and isn’t that the main purpose of schools
isn’t that the main purpose of schools
isn’t that the main purpose of schools to teach us skills to help us get
to teach us skills to help us get
to teach us skills to help us get employment since it’s widely predicted
employment since it’s widely predicted
employment since it’s widely predicted that jobs will become more and more
that jobs will become more and more
that jobs will become more and more computer science related wouldn’t
computer science related wouldn’t
computer science related wouldn’t teaching us code be vital coding has
teaching us code be vital coding has
teaching us code be vital coding has very money outside of school benefits as
very money outside of school benefits as
very money outside of school benefits as well this can include the development of
well this can include the development of
well this can include the development of problem-solving and critical thinking
problem-solving and critical thinking
problem-solving and critical thinking skills which we all need to learn better
skills which we all need to learn better
skills which we all need to learn better also our self confidence is boosted when
also our self confidence is boosted when
also our self confidence is boosted when we learn a new skill especially one like
we learn a new skill especially one like
we learn a new skill especially one like coding that has so many uses and
coding that has so many uses and
coding that has so many uses and opportunities that come with it also
opportunities that come with it also
opportunities that come with it also when you code you will make mistakes as
when you code you will make mistakes as
when you code you will make mistakes as I can tell you from experience sometimes
I can tell you from experience sometimes
I can tell you from experience sometimes I’ll have to search through all your
I’ll have to search through all your
I’ll have to search through all your lines of code just to find one spot
lines of code just to find one spot
lines of code just to find one spot that’s causing all of it to malfunction
that’s causing all of it to malfunction
that’s causing all of it to malfunction you could say it also helps develop
you could say it also helps develop
you could say it also helps develop patience coding has have an important
patience coding has have an important
patience coding has have an important impact in terms of jobs skills are just
impact in terms of jobs skills are just
impact in terms of jobs skills are just a fun hobby that’s engaging to learn and
a fun hobby that’s engaging to learn and
a fun hobby that’s engaging to learn and everyone deserves to learn it so what
everyone deserves to learn it so what
everyone deserves to learn it so what are you waiting for
are you waiting for
are you waiting for try coding out learn more about how it
try coding out learn more about how it
try coding out learn more about how it works or even challenge schools and
works or even challenge schools and
works or even challenge schools and whether they should be teaching code and
whether they should be teaching code and
whether they should be teaching code and with technology advancing so quickly I
with technology advancing so quickly I
with technology advancing so quickly I promise it won’t be a waste of your time
promise it won’t be a waste of your time
promise it won’t be a waste of your time [Applause]
”
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