Apple updates coding programs and resources for Canadian educators and students

Apple today announced a new set of tools to help educators teach coding to students from grade school to college. In addition to significant enhancements to the Everyone Can Code and Develop in Swift resources, Apple is also starting a new professional learning course for Develop in Swift, available to educators at no cost. The course is designed to supplement the need for computer science educators in Canada, and helps instructors of all skill levels build foundational knowledge to teach app development with Swift. In addition, with many institutions expecting they will have to adapt learning environments during the upcoming school year, Apple is adding resources for educators and parents to help ensure they have the tools they need to help students learn and grow from anywhere.  

“Apple has worked alongside educators for 40 years, and we’re especially proud to see how  Everyone Can Code and Develop in Swift have been instrumental in helping teachers and students make an impact in their communities,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Markets, Apps, and Services. “We’ve seen community college students build food security apps for their campus and watched middle school educators host virtual coding clubs over summer break. As part of our commitment to help expand access to computer science education, we are thrilled to be adding a new professional learning course to help more educators, regardless of their experience, have the opportunity to learn coding and teach the next generation of developers and designers.” 

Apple is enhancing its Everyone Can Code and Develop in Swift coding resources. Everyone Can Code introduces coding to students in grades 4 through 8, and uses puzzles and games to help teach the building blocks of Swift through the Swift Playgrounds app. Develop in Swift is geared toward high school and higher education students, and teaches both Swift, a powerful and intuitive open-source programming language designed by Apple, and Xcode on Mac to new and experienced coders¹.

"Apple's Everyone Can Code and Develop in Swift programs are valuable resources for our teachers, who are driving the development of coding skills with our students,” said Glen Posey, District Principal of Instruction and Innovation, Cowichan School District. “Simultaneously, the resources strengthen problem-solving skills, which are critically important for our students, who will need to navigate accelerating change in their lifetimes. Cowichan uses Apple's resources as the foundation of its 90-hour dual-credit program with Vancouver Island University, where computational thinking skills built through Swift coding and app development provide a valuable foundation for our students's future endeavours.”

The Develop in Swift curriculum is now completely redesigned to meet student learning styles, based on educator input continuously sourced by Apple. The new series includes four books: “Develop in Swift Explorations,” “Develop in Swift AP CS Principles,” and “Develop in Swift Fundamentals,” which are all live today, and “Develop in Swift Data Collections,” which will be available this fall. The curriculum is available free in Apple Books.

Apple is also releasing the next set of books in its Everyone Can Code resources today. “Everyone Can Code Adventures” is designed for students who have already completed “Everyone Can Code Puzzles” and offers more advanced opportunities to build with Swift code. Students will learn about important programming concepts used in app development as they work through more challenging lessons in Swift Playgrounds. 

“I’ve been using Swift Playgrounds to unleash the power of computational thinking with teachers and students, showing them how to use real code to solve puzzles and control characters with just a few taps on iPad,” said Stacey Bernier, digital literacy coach, Langley School District. “I’m constantly amazed at how excited and creative our students get each time they code, discovering new ways to approach problems while they are at it, inside and outside the classroom.”

Bernier first adopted Everyone Can Code resources with both teachers and students in 2016, learning to code alongside them, achieving real-world results. When he started his teaching career as a grade five teacher in 2005, he never dreamt his English studies would one day lead him to his current role as digital learning coach. 

“I regularly meet kids who are hesitant about math develop a love for coding without realizing they’re using a combination of math and language to solve complex problems by organizing their ideas,” Bernier said. “It’s also rewarding witnessing students dive deeper into Swift Playgrounds through enhanced content where they gain more experience coding in Swift and learn Xcode. I’m looking forward to diving in to the new Adventures content this school year.”

The “Everyone Can Code Adventures” student and teacher guides are now available for free in Apple Books.

Code.org notes 90% of parents want their child to study computer science and 54% of students like computer science and the arts the most. While parents and their children are looking to learn computer sciences, the Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC) note Canadian teachers could benefit from additional training and professional development to bring new digital tools and innovations in their teaching. And 80% of teachers interviewed said that technology in the classroom is a must-have if students want to be prepared for almost any career today².

In an effort to help, Apple is offering a new, free online professional learning course for educators. Taught by Apple experts, the course will help instructors with all levels of ability acquire the skills they need to teach Swift and Xcode, making this an ideal introductory course for teaching the Develop in Swift resource. Interested educators can sign up today to participate in the course, which is available now through the Canvas Learning Management System.

To support parents with kids learning to code at home, Apple is adding a new guide to its set of remote learning resources. “A Quick Start to Code” is now available and features 10 coding challenges designed for learners ages 10 and up, on iPad or Mac. Additional resources are available on Apple’s new Learning from Home website, launched this spring, where educators and parents can access on-demand videos and virtual conferences on remote learning, and schedule free one-on-one virtual coaching sessions, all hosted by educators at Apple. New videos are being added all the time as part of the Apple Education Learning Series — including videos about using Apple’s industry-leading accessibility features.

In 2016, Apple launched Everyone Can Code, a comprehensive program and resource to help students of all abilities, from kindergarten to college, learn coding to solve problems and prepare them for the workforce. Develop in Swift was released in 2019, and today more than 9,000 K-12 and higher education institutions worldwide are using the Everyone Can Code and Develop in Swift curricula from Apple.