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Coding In Education: Why It’s Important
Computer programming is now regarded as an essential ability for 21st century learners and is becoming a key component of many curriculums.
Basic coding courses provide students with the know-how to develop their own websites, apps, computer software and video games and much more.
In Australia, and in the UK kids aged five and over have been learning the fundamentals of coding since 2014.
At its most basic, learning how to code is learning to tell machines what to do. This requires the mastery of a problem-solving skill known as computational thinking, which involves breaking larger tasks into a logical sequence of smaller steps, diagnosing errors and coming up with new approaches when necessary.
Coding helps build logical thinking , math skills and persistence.
Our connected society tries to push the notion that feelings are paramount, and everyone’s opinion should be respected. Combine that with the powerful Internet-created echo chambers, and we have an environment where beliefs aren’t challenged anymore regardless of how ridiculous they may be.
The lack of persistence is easier to explain. It’s the entitlement culture. Persistence means you have to keep trying and power through failure. But many people these days do just about anything to avoid failure – even if it means not trying in the first place.
So how can teaching coding help teach students these skills?
Coding is emotionless. The foundation of coding is right and wrong. There is no room for beliefs. The foundation of coding is manipulating equations with free variables, which, not coincidentally, is the definition of algebraic logic.”
Coding requires persistence, because no matter how smart you are or how well you plan ,
it will almost never work the first time you try it. Coding can be a grind, and that is a benifit for a young persons development.
Coding For Early Literacy Development Coding and literacy development complement each other because they are both based off of a structure of communication that shares ideas and provides an experience. The main difference between younger and older students is how complex of a program they can create.
Coding is important because it’s all around us.
From the smartphone in our pocket, to the smartwatch on our wrist, it’s also launching rockets in space or controlling our fridge. All industries are disrupted by software and even if not all of us will become Software Engineers, all of us will be interacting with it, so it’s important to understand the foundations of it.
Our approach to teaching coding, however, is a little different, because rather than lecture students about how to code, students learn by practicing and collaborating with their peers.
So what makes this informal approach to coding so effective?
Someone who wants to learn how to play tennis can read all the books about it, but they won’t get good at it unless they practice. A craft can only be learned well if practiced and Software is no different.
This helps them develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills
as they learn how to learn by themselves and how to collaborate with others.
Clearly, the benefits of learning to code extend well beyond knowing how to create an app or website, and even students who won’t go on to become programmers or developers will gain valuable 21st century skills that can be transferred to many different areas of their lives.
