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As parents, we recognize that most children today are keenly interested in technology, and often prefer working in ways that use a variety of media and other forms of communication that are different than the way many children learned even a decade before. Many young learners look for ways to include technology in all aspects of their learning, ranging from embryonic thinking about a project, to information gathering, communicating ideas with others, giving form to ideas, refining and polishing initial efforts, and sharing a final product with others. When working with gifted children, listening to what they say- and seeing how they express themselves-often provides clues to which children will benefit through increased exposure to technology.
When gifted children demonstrate an attraction to or a love of technology, parents may wish to investigate a series of such tools, apps, or programs that can be used to enhance their child's education, both inside and outside of school settings. In either case, parents want to look for evidence that their child embraces and enjoys coding or other technology enhancements:
* The evidence might be simple, such as the gifted child stating that he or she is really excited by technology and how it works (which is different than enjoying technology for entertainment, games, or social media).
* Teachers, grandparents, babysitters, friends, or, even, friends' parents might be the ones who notice the gifted child's love of technology and help to enlighten the child's parents or caregivers.
* Parents may simply notice their gifted child is engaged for much longer periods of time when a project or activity includes technology.
Regardless of how parents discover this love or passion on the part of their child, recognizing what is happening is an important first step to enhancing the child's learning experiences.
Coding
Coding involves identifying and analyzing a problem, applying problem-solving skills, and using knowledge of programming language to devise solutions that are innovative, effective, and efficient. Gifted children and their parents are often fascinated by coding, as it permits young learners to engage in higher-order thinking skills while simultaneously participating in an activity believed by many to be one path to a lucrative and exciting career. A variety of resources have sprung up that permit parents and teachers...