Digital Youth Engagement Programme (DYEP) Primary
Coding in Cybercaravan
The National Computer Board has been implementing, since 2017, the ‘Digital Youth Engagement Programme (DYEP Primary)’ - also referred to as Coding in Primary Schools which comprises the provision of introductory courses on Coding to pupils at primary level. Coding is nowadays considered as the literacy of the digital age, indeed a whole new language for children to speak fluently and express themselves in this 21st Century.
The NCB acts as a training service provider to the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology for the introduction of Coding in primary schools starting as early as Grade 4 and Grade 5.
The learners are provided with a 15-hour training delivered in the NCB Cyber Caravans which tour various primary schools in the 4 educational zones across the island following a joint collaboration and an agreed timetable with the Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology. The programme aimed to train some 2,000 primary students on a year basis following the Budget 2017/2018.
The Objectives
The objectives of introducing Coding at an early age are to:
- Promote logical thinking. Coding requires the children to think logically and teaches them to tackle complex situations (problems) by breaking them into smaller problems which are easier to manage and solve.
- Develop children’s creativity. Coding enables children to become creators since it all about creating something new at the end. With codes, kids are made to create projects that they like. Coding will allow them to maximize their creativity by coming up with their own ideas towards solving a problem.
The students are encouraged and motivate to learn a set of coding skills via course materials accessible online from an Open Source coding platform (www.Code.org). It is to be noted that Coding (or computer programming) is a new type of literacy which allow children to express themselves with the computer, not just to interact with it.
The skills/concepts taught in the DYEP (Primary) consist of the following:-
- Sequencing
- Debugging
- Using loops
- Understanding and devising of Algorithms
- Problem-solving skills
- Online Safety
In a bid to inspire our young children towards Coding and new technology, the NCB makes use of a mix of IT equipment (in the Cyber Caravans) including PCs, Laptops, Raspberry Pi and Tablets for the delivery of the trainings on Coding. It will be seamless for the learners accessing online course materials from whatever device he/she is using and at the same time this teaching/learning approach offers an opportunity to showcase the latest technologies available to the students and the community.
A Certificate of Participation is given to each student completing the training.
As at date
0
primary students have benefitted from this programme:
- 2019-2020: 1,598 students
- 2018-2019: 2,008 students
- 2017-2018: 1,440 students