In early October, I was in South Korea to speak at the International Symposium of Science Museums. My subject: NewTechKids and our approach to teaching computer science and computational thinking skills to primary school-aged children.
I joined representatives from some of the world’s leading science museums, including the Smithsonian, the Getty Museum, Science Center Singapore and the National Science Museum of Korea. We discussed the social responsibility of science museums and the important role that they can play in terms of inspiring scientific and technological understanding and cultivating scientific talent.
South Korea is the perfect country to spearhead this discussion. With a network of 128 museums dedicated to science, engineering and technology, Korea has leveraged its science museums to support education, research, arts and culture, and innovation activities.
National Science Museum of Korea: Education Programs
The Museum was established in 1949, the year before the Korean war started. South Korea leveraged science and technology to transform the country from one of the poorest in the world to one of the wealthiest and technologically-advanced in Asia.
Today, the Museum is located in Daejeon, a few hours away from Seoul, with 28,710 m2 of building space including nine buildings. Its collection includes approximately 1,184,000 artefacts which attract 11.5 million visitors per year.
The Museum’s education programs cater to everyone, infants and preschoolers, students in primary, middle and high school, university students and adults. The goals for its education programs are very focused: the popularisation of science and the promotion of students with scientific talent. The Museum targets teenagers, organising discussions, special classes and courses, competitions and festivals in order to cultivate interests and expose them to hands on scientific activities and research.
The Museum showcases past, present and future technology and brings its exhibitions to life by using technologies such as virtual reality, 4D gaming, robotics and advanced algorithms.
Focus on Computational Thinking
South Korean students receive computer science education as of grade 7 but plans are underway to teach this topic to younger students. What impressed me the most during my discussions with education experts and Ministry of Education officials was their strategic and long-term thinking which is in line with NewTechKids’ approach. Their emphasis is on helping students develop computational thinking skills, not programming skills. They recognise that at the primary school level especially, it is more important to develop 21st century thinking and problem-solving skills and technological literacy in order to lay a solid foundation for more advanced learning.
South Korea: an emerging leader in computer science education
There are many reasons why I think the world should pay close attention to South Korea in terms of computer science education:
– the country already has a high cultural regard for science and technology;
– a strong ecosystem is already in place to support the development of computer science education (schools, science museums, research institutes, technology companies, etc.);
– girls and boys are exposed to science and technology from a young age so there’s less of a gender divide in terms of interest and engagement; and
– government officials and education experts are collaborating closely to ensure that the focus and pedagogical framework of the country’s computer science curriculum are aligned with the country’s strategic and economic goals.
South Korea has a solid headstart in computer science education because the country has the right mentality and is actively laying the groundwork for the future: ‘We want to lead the development of science and technology, not only import it’. ‘We want to develop Korean talent, not only rely on foreign talent.’
Important Issues to Address
One thing that will really enhance South Korea’s approach to computer science: a greater integration of design, design processes and arts education into its computer science curriculum. This will help students continue to develop skills related to creativity and expression.
Failure is still a cultural taboo in Korea. Since experimentation and failure are necessary parts of the learning process when it comes to computer science education, schools, teachers and students will have to develop new attitudes and become comfortable with processes such as prototyping, testing and iteration.
NewTechKids looks forward to continuing to be inspired and building relationships with computer science education advocates in South Korea.
Co-founder and Business Director
Katika Oktoba mwaka huu, Korea Kusini ilishiriki katika Mkutano wa Kimataifa wa Makumbusho ya Sayansi. NewTek Kids ni njia ya kufundisha sayansi ya kompyuta na ujuzi wa kufikiri kwa watoto wa shule ya msingi. Mkutano huo ulifanyika pamoja na wawakilishi wa makumbusho ya sayansi ya kimataifa kama vile Smithsonian, Getty Museum, Singapore Science Center na National Science Museum of Korea. """Tumezungumzia jukumu la kijamii la makumbusho ya sayansi na jukumu muhimu ambalo yanaweza kucheza katika kuchochea uelewa wa kisayansi na kiteknolojia na kukuza vipaji vya kisayansi." Korea Kusini ni nchi bora ya kuongoza majadiliano haya. Pamoja na mtandao wa majumba ya makumbusho 128 ya sayansi, uhandisi na teknolojia, Korea imeweka makumbusho yake ya sayansi kusaidia elimu, utafiti, sanaa na utamaduni, na shughuli za ubunifu. Jumba la Makumbusho la Kitaifa la Sayansi la Korea: Programu za Elimu Jumba la Makumbusho lilianzishwa mnamo 1949, mwaka kabla ya vita vya Korea kuanza. Korea Kusini ilitumia sayansi na teknolojia kugeuza nchi kutoka moja ya maskini zaidi ulimwenguni kuwa moja ya tajiri na ya kisasa zaidi katika Asia. Jumba la makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho la Jumba la Makumbusho. Makumbusho yake yana jumla ya vitu 1,184,000 ambavyo huvutia wageni milioni 11.5 kwa mwaka. Programu za elimu za Makumbusho zinahudumia kila mtu, watoto wachanga na wa shule ya mapema, wanafunzi katika shule ya msingi, ya kati na ya sekondari, wanafunzi wa chuo kikuu na watu wazima. Malengo kwa ajili ya mipango yake ya elimu ni sana umakini: popularization ya sayansi na kukuza wanafunzi na vipaji vya kisayansi. Makumbusho huelekezwa kwa vijana, kuandaa majadiliano, madarasa maalum na kozi, mashindano na sherehe ili kukuza maslahi na kuwafunua shughuli za kisayansi na utafiti. Jumba la makumbusho linaonyesha teknolojia ya zamani, ya sasa na ya siku zijazo na huleta maonyesho yake kwa maisha kwa kutumia teknolojia kama vile hali halisi, michezo ya 4D, roboti na algorithms za hali ya juu. Wanafunzi wa Korea Kusini wanapata elimu ya sayansi ya kompyuta kuanzia darasa la saba lakini mipango inaendelea kufundisha mada hii kwa wanafunzi wadogo. Kilichonivutia zaidi wakati wa majadiliano yangu na wataalamu wa elimu na maafisa wa Wizara ya Elimu ni mawazo yao ya kimkakati na ya muda mrefu ambayo ni sawa na mbinu ya NewTechKids. Mkazo wao ni kusaidia wanafunzi kuendeleza ujuzi wa kufikiri wa kompyuta, si ujuzi wa programu. "Wanafahamu kwamba hasa katika ngazi ya shule ya msingi, ni muhimu zaidi kuendeleza ""utaalam wa kufikiri na kutatua matatizo ya karne ya 21"" na ujuzi wa teknolojia ili kuweka msingi thabiti wa kujifunza zaidi." "Korean: kiongozi anayeibuka katika elimu ya sayansi ya kompyuta Kuna sababu nyingi kwa nini nadhani ulimwengu unapaswa kuzingatia Korea Kusini katika suala la elimu ya sayansi ya kompyuta: ""Nchi tayari ina heshima ya juu ya kitamaduni kwa sayansi na teknolojia; ""Mfumo wa ikolojia wenye nguvu tayari uko mahali pa kusaidia maendeleo ya elimu ya sayansi ya kompyuta (shule, makumbusho ya sayansi, taasisi za utafiti, makampuni ya teknolojia, nk." """Msichana na mvulana wanakutana na sayansi na teknolojia tangu umri mdogo, kwa hivyo kuna tofauti ndogo ya kijinsia katika suala la maslahi na ushiriki, na maafisa wa serikali na wataalamu wa elimu wanashirikiana kwa karibu kuhakikisha kuwa lengo na mfumo wa elimu ya elimu ya kompyuta ya nchi ni sawa na malengo ya kimkakati na kiuchumi ya nchi." Korea Kusini ina mwanzo thabiti katika elimu ya sayansi ya kompyuta kwa sababu nchi ina akili sahihi na ni kikamilifu kuweka msingi kwa ajili ya siku zijazo: "Tunataka kuongoza maendeleo ya sayansi na teknolojia, si tu kuagiza". "Tunataka kuendeleza vipaji vya Korea, sio kutegemea tu vipaji vya kigeni. ""Maswala muhimu ya kushughulikia kitu kimoja ambacho kweli kitaongeza mbinu ya Korea Kusini ya sayansi ya kompyuta: ushirikiano mkubwa wa kubuni, michakato ya kubuni na elimu ya sanaa katika mtaala wake wa sayansi ya kompyuta." Hii itasaidia wanafunzi kuendelea kuendeleza ujuzi unaohusiana na ubunifu na kujieleza. Kushindwa bado ni jambo lisilo la kawaida katika utamaduni wa Korea. Kwa kuwa majaribio na kushindwa ni sehemu muhimu ya mchakato wa kujifunza linapokuja elimu ya sayansi ya kompyuta, shule, walimu na wanafunzi watakuwa na kuendeleza mitazamo mpya na kuwa na starehe na michakato kama vile prototyping, majaribio na iteration. NewTechKids inatarajia kuendelea kuchochewa na kujenga mahusiano na watetezi wa elimu ya sayansi ya kompyuta nchini Korea Kusini. Mwanzilishi mwenza na Mkurugenzi wa Biashara