Crafting Youth to Be Creators: Bit Scouts Coding School
PeopleSpace resident Code Campus, also known as Bit Scouts, is doing a great job making coding school and technology education easy and fun for young children – and ultimately having an impact on the community as a whole.
Coding & Computer Science for Kids
For over a year now, PeopleSpace has been fortunate enough to allot office space to the innovative company Code Campus. Also known as Bit Scouts, Code Campus specializes in bringing coding and computer science education to elementary and middle schools around Orange County. What originally began as a mere extracurricular activity has evolved into an organized set of after-school coding classes only a few years later.
How does it work?
The operation is fairly straightforward. Instructional staff hold 40 minute extracurricular lessons for students to engage with holistic introductory coding in a convenient after-school environment. After that, it’s simple. The students learn about coding and computer science.
Why is it important to teach coding young children?
Already, we consistently see the newer generations growing up with technology just at their fingertips.
Children are learning to swipe on iPads or are using touch screens before they can even read or talk. If the youth are already interacting with technology, what is the harm in teaching them about what they’re using? In fact, this technology is only going to continue to develop and become more complex.
Instead of letting these students remain unknowing, Bit Scouts teaches them how to use technology and inspires them to learn more about creating and developing it on their own.
Students can educate others too
On a larger scale, by teaching kids, in turn, the students can use their knowledge about technology to also educate others. Whether it be parents, friends or any older people, these educated youth can teach those who may not be as interested yet may be consumers of technology.
Making an impact does not come without challenges…
Of course, generating such a widespread impact does not come without difficulties. Depending on the district, administration and community, Bit Scouts has to consider many factors in order to set up their classes at various locations. Additionally, most instructors don’t have both computer science backgrounds and teaching experience; yet, the company helps them gain experience in whichever they may lack. Unexpected last minute schedule changes are also not unfamiliar to Code Campus. Nevertheless, they continue to work through dynamic problems and problem solve on the spot in order to benefit the company.
…but results are great.
Despite difficulties, the company has truly gained influence and has even been recognized by the Los Angeles Times. In the future, Code Campus hopes to work with schools during the school day so that all kids in the given classroom or grade level can have access to this education. In doing so, kids who may not have been interested or could not afford it before will be able to participate and expand their computer science knowledge.
Obviously, the times have changed. Now, it is time for kids to not just be consumers but to also be users and most importantly creators for the future of technology.
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Want to learn more? Thinking about bringing coding to your school?
Visit Bit Scouts website
