Apple CEO: We need to reinvent America’s education system (AAPL)

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Just one day before all of Apple’s retail stores kick off their global Hour of Code program, Apple CEO Tim Cook made a surprise visit to Apple’s Upper East Side store in New York City on Wednesday to discuss education.

Cook’s unannounced arrival occurred as 18 students from a public school in East Harlem were beginning their “Hour of Code” hour-long coding session at the Apple Store, which is sponsored by the non-profit Code.org.

As the kids began coding on iPads with the help of Apple Store instructors, Apple’s CEO spoke to Mashable’s Lance Ulanoff about how America’s education system needs to embrace coding and programming.

Cook said he wants “to see coding be a required course like social studies, English, and mathematics in every public school curriculum.” He said he’s been in talks with school districts and leaders in education about the topic.

“I think there’s lots of interest,” Cook told Ulanoff. “Sometimes education doesn’t move as fast as any of us would like, but I think there are a lot of great teachers out there and a lot of great people out there who really want to improve the quality of education.”

As Cook watched the young students work on their iPads, he said “you rarely ever see engagement in a classroom like this.”

“We inspire them to pull the string and see where it takes them,” he said.

You can read more of what Tim Cook has to say about America’s education system, particularly with regards to creativity, coding, and standardized testing, over at Mashable.

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