One of SEAQIS’ concerns is how to utilise information technology optimally to support innovation in the development of science teachers and education personnel. Therefore, as a part of staff capacity building activities, SEAQIS sent Mr Reza Setiawan and Mr Dian Purnama to participate in Workshop on Computer Science Education organised by the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation under the auspices of UNESCO (ISTIC) in collaboration with La main à la pate Foundation (LAMAP). The workshop was convened from 23 – 27 October 2017 at Corus Hotel Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Facilitator of the workshop from LAMAP was Dr David Wilgenbus as Coordinator – Resources Production and Distribution. There were 25 participants who joined this workshop coming from Cambodia, Myanmar, Maldives, Namibia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Indonesia. The main objective of the workshop was to provide the necessary knowledge and skills to participants on computer science through ‘unplugged’ and ‘plugged’ activities and apply these into pedagogical activities.
The workshop was held because computer science is now considered as a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subject in the broad sense and is being introduced in many countries as a stand-alone subject in the curriculum. This development is spurred by the technological development as we move into the digital age in which nearly everything revolves around software. It is also reported that jobs in the future will increasingly require coding skills and that programming jobs are growing at a rapid rate. Both coding and computational skills therefore need to be taught to the youths so they will be prepared to compete for the jobs of the future and be successful in a world in which technology is integrated in every part of their lives both personal and professional.
written by Dian Purnama
