[Sponsored article] Is it time to say goodbye to our jobs as we know them? A study conducted by the University of Oxford suggested that the growing use of automation could replace around 47 per cent of jobs by 2034. The shift towards fully automated work environments, driven by digital developments such as artificial intelligence and even the metaverse, will inevitably lead to problems not yet even imagined – and that will require a new skill set for finding future solutions. This leads to questions regarding the knowledge that children are being taught in schools today, and its relevance to dealing with the problems of tomorrow once they enter the workforce. The ability to think in a structured and logical manner through computational thinking is considered an essential skill for the 21st century. Computational thinking involves solving problems, designing systems and understanding human behaviour by drawing on the concepts fundamental to computer science. As an emerging concept, computational thinking appears to be gaining a foothold in school curriculums globally, while in Hong Kong, it is being widely seen as an important direction for primary-level education. Developing the curriculum Before 2016, primary schools in Hong Kong didn’t pay much attention to computational thinking education due to limited resources, according to Yeung Wai-yin, a former principal of PLK Dr Jimmy Wong Chi-ho (Tin Sum Valley) Primary School, who chaired the Ad Hoc Committee for Reviewing the “Computational Thinking – Coding Education: Supplement to the Primary Curriculum” document published by the Education Bureau. “The government has acknowledged the importance of computational thinking, and has increased the allocation of education resources over the past five years,” Yeung says. “The efforts made by CoolThink@JC in promoting the importance of computational thinking and developing an effective curriculum have come to fruition, and computational thinking education is currently recognised as an important direction in primary education development.” CoolThink@JC is a computational thinking programme created and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, which was also co-created by the Education University of Hong Kong, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and City University of Hong Kong, and is supported by the Education Bureau of Hong Kong. The programme prepares young students for an ever-changing digital future by providing them with lessons in computational thinking. According to an independent evaluation done by SRI International, a leading US-based educational research institute, students in the CoolThink@JC pilot had gained 2.1 times as much progress as students in comparison schools when it came to computational thinking practices such as problem-solving and logical thinking skills. Thinking ahead to the future “Computers and information technology are transforming our world, and understanding this change has become an essential skill in order to function effectively in society,” says Professor Harold Abelson, a partner of CoolThink@JC who is with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT. “Computational thinking – the ability to formulate problems in terms that could be carried out on computers – is fundamental to this skill. It should be part of education for everyone, even for primary-aged schoolchildren.” Computational thinking education in primary schools In 2017, the Education Bureau first published “Computational Thinking– Coding Education: Supplement to the Primary Curriculum”. It was revised in 2020 and recommended that schools implement coding education systematically to cultivate computational thinking in upper primary students. It also recommended that schools allocate between 10 and 14 hours of teaching time for coding education at each level from P4 to P6, with schools either factoring blocks of time into the curriculum, or implementing theme-based teaching that integrates content across different subjects. The supplement also advised that teachers undergo professional development to understand computational thinking and its pedagogy, or teaching approach, in order to facilitate learning. “Adaptations to teaching methods and learning materials are necessary, so one practical challenge is not having enough trained teachers,” Yeung says. “We joined the CoolThink@JC programme, which enabled us to have an effective curriculum in place that we could use, but still leave room for a certain degree of flexibility. The programme also provides teachers with comprehensive training, which equips them with the required skills and necessary knowledge.” Future-ready The CoolThink@JC initiative is primarily designed to develop computational thinking in students by empowering them to become thinkers and creators of technology, based on four learning and practising steps: to play, to think, to code and to reflect. The programme has supported 131 schools and 810 teachers since its inception in 2016. By 2024, it is estimated that CoolThink@JC will have cultivated computational thinking skills in 100,000 upper primary school students. “Every year, we witness students from the initiative unleashing their digital creativity in computational thinking competitions, and others rekindling a passion for learning,” Yeung says. The programme also provides comprehensive support to schools requiring professional assistance with lesson materials, teacher training, teaching pedagogy adjustments, in-class teaching support and computer equipment, plus it has been instrumental in helping schools implement computational thinking in their curriculums. “Schools no longer feel like they’re fighting the battle alone. Frontline teachers and schools have benefited tremendously with this level of backup from CoolThink@JC,” Yeung says. He adds that the programme is enhancing coding education in primary schools and putting in place a direction for the development of a coding curriculum, which will help ensure the next generation is ready for the workplaces of the future.