In today’s digital world, young learners must navigate through a complex web of facts and misinformation, reality and illusion, neutrality and bias. Are we equipping learners with the essential skills they need—such as adaptability and critical thinking—to discern these distinctions and confidently thrive in an ever-changing world?
At Apps for Good, we tackle this challenge head-on. We’ve designed our introductory computing courses to help students navigate this landscape and equip them with the skills to thrive.
Skills that Transform Lives: Combatting Disadvantage in Education
CapGemini’s 2023 report, ‘Future-ready education: Empowering secondary school students with digital skills,’ emphasises the vital role of digital skills in all professions and the importance of teaching these skills to prevent students from being disadvantaged both in their careers and in society. The report states, “As technology transforms every aspect of our lives and the world is rapidly shaped by artificial intelligence, students who are digital-, data-, and media-literate will have a significant advantage over their peers.”
In contrast, according to the Pearson Schools Report 2024, 60% of educators believe that “today’s education system does not set pupils up with the skills needed to thrive,” and a mere 7% believe that there is “enough digital emphasis to prepare learners for their futures.” This stark statistic highlights a critical gap in integrating digital literacy and technological proficiency into educational frameworks. As digital tools and technologies become increasingly integral to both personal and professional environments, the lack of focus on these areas within the curriculum could leave students at a disadvantage in a competitive, tech-driven world.
In a promising development, the government has launched a review of the national curriculum, with recommendations expected to be published in 2025. This review aims to “develop a cutting-edge curriculum, equipping children and young people with the essential knowledge and skills” that will “break down barriers to opportunity, give every child the best start in life (and) support their future life and work.” Despite these positive prospects, we must continue to address ongoing challenges including the shortage of specialist teachers, teacher workload pressures, and budget constraints.
Apps for Good is an education charity that has been championing change in this field for nearly 15 years. We believe that all young people can shape their future through technology – they just need the right support, skills, inspiration, and pathways to make it happen. That’s why we’ve developed ready-made introductory computing courses that offer a zero-cost solution for both computing and non-specialist computing teachers. Delivered over 7-8 sessions, our courses follow the same methodology and allow educators to ‘pick their theme’ to suit their individual priorities. They can choose from: App for Social Action, Innovate for Climate Change, and AI for Good.
Our courses allow students to engage with computing in a meaningful way, providing practical support for teachers as students develop prototype apps that tackle environmental or societal issues within their own lives and communities. Our aim is to empower young people to become confident and active digital citizens, ready to thrive in a world where technology drives constant opportunity.
Essential and Digital Skills: The Foundation of Career Success
At the heart of the courses are skills. We focus on computing skills and digital literacy, in tandem with essential skills which are the transferable skills required for education, employment and wider life. Our courses are Skills Builder accredited, using their Universal Framework,. Students are supported in developing and benchmarking life-long skills in communication, creative problem solving, self-management and interpersonal skills, helping to build their independence as they progress in education, employment, and wider life.
“One of the things that I was not good at was presenting or speaking publicly. Through this course, I was able to develop that skill a lot more. Working in a team is something I found relatively easy, but I was still able to develop the skill more by learning to compromise and make decisions.”
Sarvesh, Year 9 Student from The Judd School
A Relatable Curriculum
It’s crucial to understand what topics students consider important for their education and future success. The Pearson Schools Report 2024 delves into this by asking students: if you could design your own curriculum, what would you include? 57% of students identified the need for “skills to help me get a job in the future,” reflecting a growing awareness of the competitive job market and the need for career readiness. A striking 86% of students expressed “they want to learn about topics that are more relevant to them and their lives.
Our courses are mapped to the UK KS3/S1-3 computing curriculums, making it easy for schools to adopt. We clearly outline which curriculum objectives are being addressed and how each lesson meets these requirements. Additionally, they align with relevant UN Sustainable Development Goals, helping teachers connect these important international goals across the curriculum. Schools working towards the Rights Respecting Schools Award can use our courses to effectively incorporate children’s rights into their ethos and practices throughout the school.
“App for Social Action benefits students because they research important topics and put that learning into action…making something relevant to them, that excites them and brings the problem to life.“
Kalvin Burrows, Teacher, John Beddoes Campus, Newtown High School
Engaging with Industry
As a student, imagine having the Senior Product Manager from Lego or the Head of App Solutions at Google join your classroom to give feedback on the app ideas you’ve developed. These are just a couple of examples from our extensive roster of Industry Volunteers we work closely with to connect with schools.
We recognise the importance of exposing young learners to real-world industry models, so these opportunities are embedded into our courses. Entering our annual Showcase celebration is also a key part of the course, offering students another chance to pitch their ideas to Industry Volunteers who are generous and constructive with their feedback.
Beyond providing students with the chance to apply their projects in a real-world context, these opportunities also help schools meet their career readiness goals and, for schools in England, fulfil the objectives of Gatsby Benchmarks 4 & 5.
“If we think about future work related skills, things that future employers will be looking for; how many (students) can say that they’ve had an opportunity at the age of 12 to sit and talk to an industry expert? The buzz amongst the children is outstanding afterwards.”
Sam Richardson, Real LiFE Leader, Countesthorpe Academy
Don’t just take our word for it – Denbigh High School recently featured on Teachers Talk Radio to discuss their experience delivering an Apps for Good course over the past decade:
Contact our Education Community Manager, Kathy, if you’re interested in setting up an introductory call or would like to find out more: education@appsforgood.org
Find out more about our courses here.
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