Denver, CO – A recent change to the long-debated issue of standardized testing demonstrates the need for programs offered by KidsTek.
While controversial, the goal of Common Core – which was adopted by the Colorado Department of Education five years ago – is to set consistent standards across all states in the areas of math and language arts. The current test accompanying Common Core is the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC).
This year presents a monumental change in the way the test will be conducted. Students will now be required to conduct the test entirely on computers. This alteration has been met with some opposition, arguing that students who lack basic digital literacy skills will be at a disadvantage, which could not only affect them personally, but would also skew the results of the test.
This change to standardized testing highlights the needs for programs that assist students with advancing their knowledge and proficiency of technology. KidsTek provides this type of service, offering help to students at Colorado’s highest-needs schools with both basic and advanced computer literacy.
“Computer literacy is no longer optional as a part of education,” says Richard Liner, Executive Director at KidsTek. “This goes above and beyond your personal feelings regarding Common Core and standardized testing. Technology is now an integral part of our daily lives, and as students graduate and enter the workforce in the future, its pervasiveness will continue and, most likely, increase substantially. Unfortunately, many students are currently at a disadvantage. KidsTek aims to help rectify that by providing Colorado students who are most at need with the skills and knowledge in the area of technology that will be essential for success in the coming years.”
KidsTek recognizes that without proficiency in technology, students will have a more difficult time succeeding in the future. Students who do not obtain at least basic digital literacy skills will face societal, informational, and economic challenges that a simple technology education can help alleviate. The programs offered by KidsTek are designed to tackle these issues head-on.
