Vol. 11 No. 19 (2018): Teknologiforståelse, digital dannelse og computational thinking

The technological development is both a condition and a framework for society in general and the education sector in particular. Therefore, many initiatives are currently being launched in the Danish education system. In high schools, "Computer Science" has been introduced as an elective and specialization subject. On an experimental basis, the Ministry of Education introduced the elective subject "Technology Understanding" for the upper levels of primary school in 2017. Additionally, the IT industry, in collaboration with various municipalities, has launched the Coding Class initiative, which involves more than 2700 primary school students nationwide. These initiatives are based, in part, on the need for a skilled workforce in the digital sector and the assumption that future society and the job market, in general, will require employees who possess technology understanding and more advanced IT skills. Today, students not only need IT skills but also need to be digitally literate. Digital literacy includes the ability to responsibly navigate and participate in shaping society, including through digital media, tools, and materials.

These initiatives highlight the need for knowledge to determine the role that IT should play in the education system and as part of future education and competencies.