A Peek Into Our Course: Young Computer Scientists (P11S) - Lifelong Learning and Applying It
Our Young Computer Scientists (YCS) students are always up for an adventure when they step into class. Every lesson is a chance to learn and discover something new and there’s certainly never a dull moment with our dedicated teachers!
Coding Lab’s YCS course (for ages 7 to 9) offers 12 unique research areas curated by our curriculum team. It exposes our students to the diverse fields of application for coding and broadens their understanding and the power of computational thinking. This ultimately serves as a platform for students to put on their thinking hats and be nurtured into lifelong learners.
You might be thinking: What exactly is Lifelong Learning?
Photo of Evan and his students holding up the new Augmented Reality textbooks for P11S-AR
Evan with his pumped Young Computer Scientist students
Lifelong learning is integrating living and learning for people of all ages - from cradle to grave. This is done through learning opportunities to continuously improve the knowledge and skills needed for personal fulfilment and future employment. It is a key perspective not only for youths, but for everyone.
The six pillars on lifelong learning include technologies for learning and learning to learn. In recent years, and as most of us use technology to bridge gaps in the past year, we increasingly use the internet for information, communication and participation in learning activities. This goes hand-in-hand with independent, self-directed learning – all important elements that encourage the pursuit of 21st-century learning.
Today's world is fast-changing and there is a growing need to be able to forecast futures and adapt. What does this mean for our little ones? It's important for them to be confident in their tech skills so that positive attitudes and values about lifelong learning will be inculcated at a young age. This would shape them into empowered individuals who can seize opportunities and support independent efforts in a lifelong journey of learning and taking on the world.
How do our young ones benefit from Lifelong Learning?
Our Young Computer Scientists hone their knowledge and thinking skills through 12 research areas, which comprises 3 groups of classes: Hardware-Based Learning, Applied Learning, and Subject-Based Learning.
Through the course, students have fun and see the real-world applicability of coding, such as how they can instruct the mBots to move or light up in our Hardware-Based Learning classes. They get to further solidify what they learnt in school when they see it come to life with codes, such as applying the concept of physics and gravity (just like this platformer game!) in our Subject-Based Learning classes. They can also dive deeper into relevant and interesting concepts, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning in our Applied Learning classes.
The YCS course covers a good mix to give our students a holistic and hands-on experience. Our students get to explore various topics and learn coding through fun, which hones their curiosity. Inspired and intrigued by what they've learnt in class, many of our students take a step further and even improve their coding abilities on their own.
As they independently deepen their knowledge in computational thinking and solve more problems, they level up and gain confidence, improving their ability to tackle all sorts of tasks in the future, and increasing their overall success in lifelong learning.
Geo Plat by Wang Zi Heng in P11S YCS Young Computer Scientists
Did you know?
Research areas proceed based on a pre-selected schedule carefully curated by Coding Lab tutors, which exposes your child to all 3 groups by the time they complete at least a minimum of 6 research areas.
Gotta catch 'em all! Each research area has a corresponding badge that students can collect and advance their coding skills.
Read: Did You Know? Fun Facts about our Young Computer Scientists
“I feel happy learning how to code and I really like that I can learn a variety of topics in YCS. My favourite modules are the Mathematics (Measurement) and Physics - I love working with Mathematical formulas and was able to learn how to convert them from paper to operators on Scratch!”
- Issey, 9, Tao Nan Primary School
Covering 1 YCS research area typically takes 10 hours. In order to progress to the next level, students are required to complete at least 6 (minimum) to 8 (recommended) research areas, but some of our students love what they explore in the course so much that they sign up for more!
“YCS has made me more interested in coding. I have learnt how to figure out what is wrong with my code and to always persevere when debugging them. My favourite thing in YCS is coding the mBot to make it move, dance and follow the infinity line. My tutor always challenged me to add more blocks to my code if I managed to complete my assignment earlier."
- Aaden Yeo, 8, St Stephen's School
As students explore new themes, they are introduced to new principles each class, then tasked with the challenge of coding the solutions to it. Our dedicated and experienced tutors are there to nudge students in the right direction, encouraging them to find their own solutions through step-by-step processes. This ensures that they fully understand and can apply the concepts that they've learnt, gaining self-confidence and independence along the way – ultimately paving the way for a future of lifelong learning.
Rachel and two students tinkering with Makey Makey
Educator Rachel and her students tinkering with Makey Makey in Young Computer Scientists
"In YCS, I ensure that my students enjoy their learning and encourage them to explore independently. This challenges their critical thinking and develops creativity. There's never a dull moment, especially when they get their codes to work. The best part is that coding doesn't only happen in class - my students often embark on their own projects at home - which they then proudly show me!"
- Rachel Chong, Educator
Coding Lab believes in teaching coding in a fun and engaging manner that nurtures curiosity and exploration at a young age – a key motivator in cultivating lifelong learning. Our YCS classes impart fundamentals and the know-how tech skills for students to embark on independent, self-directed learning in the journey towards lifelong learning.
It's like the Chinese proverb, "活到老, 学到老", which means "live until you're old, learn until you're old". When students own their learning, it sticks with them!
Become a Young Computer Scientist (ages 7-9) by clicking here!
Read Next: A Peek into our S100P Course – Individualised Learning and how it benefits our teens
(Written by Zulaikha)