Scottish schoolkids to be given app lessons in curriculum shakeup
Scotland’s school curriculum is in line for a major overhaul with greater emphasis played on developing digital skills such as app development and programming.
The shift will see pupils instructed in the techniques necessary to code custom smartphone apps, amongst an expanded range of programming lessons, to better equip pupils for life and work in the digital world.
It follows moves to revitalise the teaching of computer science following complaints that many schools were far too passive in their approach to the subject.
Industry leaders, including Google head Eric Schmidt, have called for programming to be elevated to the same importance as physics, chemistry and mathematics.
As part of the changes new materials have been developed for schools in partnership with the British Computing Society and Royal Society of Edinburgh.
Jeremy Scott, principal teacher of computing at George Heriot's School, in Edinburgh, who led the development work, said: "It is so important we bring the subject up to date and connect with students in a way that resonates with them, and there is nothing better than smartphone technology to do that because it is a way of life for pupils now."