Enthusiastic Singapore students don't get much support to learn coding

Source: Microsoft infographic. View the complete infographic here.

An Asia Pacific study reveals that the majority of students in Singapore recognise the value of coding in their education and the potential it creates for their future careers. However, the study, conducted in February 2015 as part of the Microsoft YouthSpark #WeSpeakCode campaign,  also found that students feel relatively unsupported in their interest for coding, signalling an urgent need for educators to look deeper at integrating it as a core subject in the school curriculum.

According to the survey, 76% of students in Singapore want to know more about coding, and 66% wish that coding could be offered as a core subject in their schools. This suggests that coding has the potential to be a highly engaging subject that can capture the attention and imagination of students, leading to positive learning outcomes.

The study also underscores the broad understanding among students in Singapore about the impact of technology on businesses and the society – 72% of students say that coding is important to their future careers, and 59% agree that coding will be relevant to all careers in the future, regardless of areas of specialisation.

“The results from the Microsoft survey clearly show that the majority of students in Singapore no longer question the value of coding. These youths fully recognise its importance in helping them acquire fundamental 21st century skills and prepare them for success in the future,” said Nobuhiro Ito, Director for Developer Experience & Evangelism, Microsoft Singapore. 

“As our world continues its evolution into one that depends on technology more and more, it is important for educators in the region to shift their focus away from the question of whether or not to offer coding as a subject – and instead, work towards integrating coding into the curriculum as soon as possible.”

Other results from the study include:

· Asked about the benefits of coding, 68% said coding helps them better understand the digital world that we live in today, and 59% appreciate the fact that coding can help them learn how to create apps.

· Although commonly regarded as a male-dominated field, the survey nevertheless shows that a high proportion of both boys (79%) and girls (74%) in Singapore want to learn more about coding.

· Reinforcing the finding that students in Singapore are fully aware of the growing importance of an education in technology, over three quarters (78%) of students polled who specialise in the arts and humanities – an area that is conventionally far removed from science and technology – want to learn more about coding.

However, despite the widespread enthusiasm and interest in coding, only 45% of students said they have an opportunity to learn coding in school, whether as a core subject or an extracurricular activity. This is one of the lowest figures among the countries surveyed. Furthermore, only 49% of students say their parents think coding is important to their future.

Source: Microsoft infographic. View the complete infographic here.

This indicates a severe disconnect between the students’ interests and the support that they are receiving from schools and at home. There is a need for educators and parents in Singapore to reflect on how they can better support the younger generation in taking their first coding steps, especially when the majority of students (54%) said they would be willing to take up coding classes outside of regular school hours. In fact, 44% of students in Singapore have already looked beyond the classroom and picked up coding on their own through online tutorials.

To help educators tap into growing student interest in coding, the Microsoft YouthSpark #WeSpeakCode campaign is back for its second year in Asia Pacific. Aimed at inspiring youth in Asia Pacific to try their hand at coding and become creators, the campaign will connect aspiring student coders of all skill levels with the tools, resources, and experiences they need to turn their innovative ideas into reality.

*The survey polled 1,850 students under 24 years old from across eight countries in Asia Pacific, including 250 students in Singapore, on their sentiments towards coding or software programming. They were also asked about the learning opportunities for coding that are currently available to them. The student respondents came from a variety of academic backgrounds, including arts and humanities, STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), business, and other general fields of study. The countries involved in this study are: Australia, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.