In light of the National Education Policy (2020), the CBSE has declared that it will teach coding as a topic for students in classes 6th through 8th and data science for students in classes 8th through 12th starting in the 2021–2022 school year. For this project, it has worked with computer behemoth Microsoft.
Why make this move?
There’s no denying the importance of data in today’s environment. Every day, billions of data are produced by numerous industries. The demand for qualified experts who can evaluate this data, forecast future events, and create models and algorithms to address large-scale, intricate problems is already very high. This pattern is only going to get worse in the future.
It is therefore imperative that the next generation be equipped with the skills and analytical abilities needed to succeed in the job market of the future, as well as prepared for the rapid rise of technology.
The other Indian boards ought to take note of this strategy, which the CBSE has now released, and make their students ready for the introduction of these vital and in-demand skills. How are these things done?
Make a point of developing your critical and analytical thinking abilities
Critical thinking and problem-solving analysis are key components of acquiring data science skills. Students will benefit greatly in their professional lives if they can develop this skill during their early years. Puzzles, tests, games, and straightforward business case studies that require students to provide answers are good ways to help students acquire these kinds of skills. This will enable them to delve deeply, apply critical thinking, and provide a variety of solutions. Engaging in mental activities of this nature will enhance their critical thinking skills, which are essential for a job in analytics.
Make it participatory
Teachers must organize the modules based on the age group of the pupils, even if they may feel compelled to plunge right into the complex subjects right away. It is best to begin with the fundamentals of the courses, ensure that students comprehend the underlying ideas of algorithms and modeling strategies, and then progressively advance to more sophisticated ideas. This will guarantee that students have a strong foundation and empower them to take on challenging assignments in the future. Students’ interest levels can also be raised by employing interactive strategies including infographics, charts, tables, graphs, and the citation of straightforward real-world issues.
Give pupils a taste of foreign languages
Even if computer science is already taught in schools, it’s still vital to introduce them to languages like Python and R, which are frequently used in data research. Students should be provided real-world case studies and demonstrated how to use these tools to make sense of the data sets and draw logical inferences from them during highly interactive programming sessions.
Connect with academic institutions and business
If the practical applications of data science and coding are not demonstrated to students, there is no use in merely teaching these subjects in the classroom. Schools should collaborate with top colleges that already offer these kinds of courses, as well as data science and artificial intelligence companies that can help students understand how the concepts they study in the classroom apply to real-world situations. To gain a deeper understanding of the field, schools can also hold regular seminars with data science practitioners.
Set up internships
Though they are still uncommon in India, high school internships are becoming more common. It would make sense to offer internship opportunities to students at these organizations so they could work on projects and gain practical experience after collaborating with colleges and industry. This is an important stage since it will help students get the confidence they need and provide them with the business acumen, programming abilities, and mathematics knowledge necessary to become a data scientist.
Faculty is important
Early childhood mentoring can have a significant influence on a student’s professional path. Let’s say a school is going to offer a course in data science. In such instance, it would be great to hire a data scientist who has both domain expertise and teaching experience in addition to simply onboarding a data scientist as faculty. It is critical to recognize that there are differences between teaching young kids about data science and working in the field of data science. A data scientist may not have comprehensive in-depth knowledge of all the subdomains of the subject because they are employed by a certain industry or company that demands a particular skill set. However, a teacher with prior experience instructing pupils can transfer all the fundamental knowledge required to begin working in the industry.
Clarity is essential
Career counseling in middle and high school is not widely available in India. This frequently leads to students making poor career options that may not be best for them. If a school decides to teach coding and data science, the instructors must explain to the students what a data scientist does on a daily basis—from the beginning to the end. Teaching them ideas alone won’t be sufficient. It is important for students to be aware of the various specializations and branches in data science and artificial intelligence that they can pursue in college or even in the workforce.
