Coding is the new cursive writing – and we have to embrace it(theglobeandmail.com) |
Coding is the new cursive writing – and we have to embrace it(theglobeandmail.com) |
There's three kinds of coding:
1. Systems
2. Applications
3. Analytics/Problem-Solving
There's no need to teach everyone how to do systems or applications programming. Zero. Zilch. Nada. What they do need to learn is how to solve problems, create graphs and charts, etc. That potentially involves learning Python, R, Fortran, Matlab, spreadsheets, etc. Essentially we need to introduce them to the idea that your computer is the best programmable calculator ever created and that you can chuck your Texas Instruments calculator and solve much more kinds of problems of much higher complexity.
Thing is schools have already started going down this path for document creation. Kids today know all about word processors, presentation software, image & video capture and manipulation, and so forth. Now we just need to introduce them to another set of tools for STEM-related problem-solving and then we're all set.
Visual programming is getting larger by the day, and it's a much smaller step for people to take.
It lets you focus more on the actual logic of the things, which is what I think is most important when teaching programming.
There's no point in teaching people how to work with javascript libraries, memory management or any kind of specific programming if that's not what interests them.
It should be as much surface-programming as is possible, and still letting them create cool stuff.