Students exposed to coding and programming at an early age are well equipped to take on higher-level computer science courses in high school—and they also build essential skills for future opportunities in the technology world.
When Rob van Nood was hired as the educational technology specialist for Catlin Gabel School in Oregon, coding and computer science courses were only offered in grades 9-12, and not to students in the younger grades.
Related content: 5 examples of coding and robotics in the classroom
This lack of coding education in earlier grades left a significant teaching gap in 21st century skills such as problem solving, designing, and computational thinking.
In a recent edWebinar, van Nood explained that it is his mission to mentor and facilitate computer science learning in a manner that integrates coding in every aspect of his students’ education.
- Public schools at the starting line: Beginning a new pathway with scholarship granting organizations - August 14, 2026
- The foundation for student success is a positive classroom culture - August 13, 2026
- The biggest back-to-school challenge - August 12, 2026