Coding should be an essential part of school curriculums: We need to shift education to focus on the realities of our future job needs.

• Author: Nalewicki, Jennifer

AT ONE TIME, reading, writing, and arithmetic were the three main pillars taught in schools to prepare students for the workforce. However, in the last decade or so, academics have changed significantly--with technology now proving to be a crucial component in school curriculums.

In K-12 schools across Utah, students are learning not only computer basics like keyboarding and file management but also web and game development, coding, desktop publishing, animation, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) as early as elementary school.

The purpose of this technology-driven curriculum enhances students' digital literacy and helps better prepare them for a world where technology has become a normal part of everyday life. Job growth in the technology sector continues to multiply at increasing levels and doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon, and one of the best ways to ensure that job candidates stand out from a sea of resumes is to introduce them to technology while they're still young.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030, faster than the average for all occupations." These tech-focused occupations are projected to add more than 660,000 new jobs across the country. The bureau also found that there's an increasing demand for workers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) jobs, with positions like web developers and database administrators becoming increasingly popular career paths amongst graduating classes.

To get students better prepared for entering the workforce, the Utah State Board of Education (USBE) partnered with the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETH) and the Utah Legislature in 2012 to create Utah's Master Plan: Essential Elements for Technology Powered Learning. The plan's vision is to "change and improve the culture of public education, classroom instruction, student and parent engagement, teaching, and learning processes while providing access to quality digital curriculum."

For the master plan to succeed, it has been designed to take classic school subjects like reading and writing and infuse them with digitally-driven skill sets that will help students "adapt, create, consume, and connect in productive, responsible ways to utilize technology in social, academic, and professional settings."

"One thing we're always taking into consideration is students' learning and how...