Spend one hour, choose a career

The Algoma District School Board (ADSB) is encouraging students and teachers in its elementary and secondary school classrooms to take part in a global event called 'Hour of Code.'

The online learning experience takes place during Computer Science Education Week, an international educational event which runs December 8 to 14.

It offers students one hour to see for themselves, in a hands-on, interactive way, how easy it is to learn code, or elementary computer programming.

The need to encourage students to think about careers in computer science is clear.

"For every computer science graduate there are three jobs available, and we don't have enough computer science graduates to fill the jobs that are coming up," said Joe Maurice, ADSB superintendent, speaking to SooToday after Tuesday's board meeting.

"In today's age there are so many technology-driven careers and opportunities, if we don't fill them we'll be looking overseas to places like China to fill them." 

"(The Hour of Code) is a great opportunity for people in northern Ontario, like Sault Ste. Marie and Wawa, because we have places like Algoma University where they can access computer science training," Maurice said.

The Hour of Code is light years ahead and a lot more fun than what was taught in computer science classrooms years ago. 

"It's been made very graphic…kids can learn lines of computer programming code using characters from the movie 'Frozen' or the video game 'Angry Birds' so students can connect with it," Maurice said. 

"Depending on the class and teacher and their schedule, they can pick which hour is best for them and do it."

Interested schools and teachers must contact the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre, which will assist in registering classes and students for the Hour of Code, Maurice said.

Thanks to modern technology, several classes can take part in the Hour of Code at once.

15 million students across Canada and the U.S. alone took part in last year's Hour of Code.

For more information on the Hour of Code, click here