With the digital revolution in full swing, how should we prepare for a digital future and decide what form should it take? One aspect is education. Preparing the next generation requires helping them understand everyday technologies and learn the skills to use technologies to their advantages. While coding is regarded as a necessity for a basic understanding of the digital world, teachers often lack the time and materials required to do this. That’s why Samsung Electronics and Technology Foundation Berlin created Coding Class Trips.
During the six pilot workshops, children were given time to explore coding and to learn programming through real-world problems. For example, during one Class Trip to Usedom on the Baltic Sea, the children investigated the impact of waste on the environment. They built weather-sensitive robots from recycled products which could swim, dive and avoid obstacles.
On another trip to the North Sea island of Wangerooge, the main topic was renewable energy. Children experimented by building their own windmills out of plastic bottles and so were able to combine their first coding experience with a major socio-political issue.
By putting children’s first coding experience into a specific context, Samsung Electronics Germany and Technology Foundation Berlin have created a unique project that will inspire the younger generation to discover the potential of digital technologies in the long-term.
“The Coding Class Trips offer a terrific opportunity for students to get out of the classroom, get motivated to learn coding, and get creative through problem solving and encountering new technologies and skills,” explains Steffen Ganders, Director of Corporate Affairs, Samsung Electronics Germany. “At Samsung, we are committed to the future of digital education. Our project is a paradigm for a new education culture and highlights that learning should not be limited to the classroom.”