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19/03/2015

European Coding Initiative launches new website: www.allyouneediscode.eu

Do you want to learn how to code? Do you want to teach coding in a fun way to kids? Check out the new all you need is {C<3DE} website!

The European Coding Initiative this week launched a new website, all you need is {C<3DE} - www.allyouneediscode.eu, for students, teachers and adults who are looking to try out coding for the first time, and to discover what opportunities it can open up for them. Coding and computer science are more and more being viewed as a key competence, both within the education system and in the workforce, in industries and professions that would not have traditionally required advanced technical skills. Coding can be used to teach logical reasoning, one of the key skills which have come to be regarded as one of the “21st century skills”, essential for succeeding both in the workplace and society of today.

Founded in July 2014, the European Coding Initiative is a multi-stakeholder campaign, including eSkills for Jobs stakeholders SAP, Microsoft, and European Schoolnet. all you need is {C<3DE} seeks to promote coding and computational thinking at all levels of education, as well as in more informal settings. The initiative has brought together organisations from industry and the non-profit sector in recognition of the vital need to empower young people to understand the theory and application of coding. Whether analysing healthcare data, designing security software or creating special effects for movies, coding is the common thread that links the highly-skilled roles that represent the future of the European labour market. Neelie Kroes, former Vice-President of the European Commission, has supported the initiative since its beginning, participating in the launch of the Initiative on October 2014 in Brussels, under the framework of the Grand Coalition for Digital Jobs.

Other initiatives to boost digital competences in Europe include the EU-funded Digital Jobs project, a multi-stakeholder initiative led by Digital Europe. Thanks to Digital Jobs project, more than 1,000 teachers have already received training in digital skills through an online course. A second course will begin on 20 April on ‘How to Teach Computing for Primary Teachers’; teachers will explore a range of the available tools and resources that can be used to teach computing for younger pupils over four weekly modules. The course has a practical focus, exploring specific activities to run in the classroom. The course will help to ensure that the next generation is already fully at ease working in the digital environment by providing today’s teachers with the tools to teach pupils the fundamentals behind the technology they use in their everyday lives.

For further information on European Commission coding initiatives, see Coding - the 21st century skill.