Coding is finally trendy.
The idea of learning to code is propagating down further and further into the educational system. This conversation is happening on ever corner of the globe. Here in Victoria, the provincial government unveiled plans in January that would introduce computer coding in its school curriculum, addressing a chronic skills shortage.
“Every kindergarten to grade 12 student will have the opportunity to learn the basics of coding,” Premier Christy Clark said at the Annual Tech Summit in Vancouver.
Even President Obama has pushed youth to study coding saying, “Don’t just play on your phone, program it.”
Clearly learning how to code has inherent economic value. Students gain the opportunity to become knowledge workers. Communities can reap significant benefit through higher salaries, exportable skills via outsourcing, and entrepreneurial development.
More than anything, coding has become an invaluable language that enhances both communication and problem solving skills in children.
Enhanced problem solving
Algorithms are programmatic solutions to problems. The traffic lights in your city follow algorithms to decide when to change. They take inputs like sensors to see if cars are arriving and timers for how long lights have been the current colour. An algorithm systematically determines if it is time to change or not. The lines at the DMV follow a First In First Out algorithm with category-based queueing and appointments as priority interrupts.
Try to think of an algorithm as problem solving over time. You solve a specific problem and then set up a system so that each subsequent problem that comes along is solved. Simply put, coding encourages people to solve tomorrow’s problems.
We communicate through interfaces
When it comes to programming, there are human interfaces like an iPhone app and there are data interfaces where one system sends data to another like Google Analytics. The first is called UI/UX for user interface and user experience. The second is called an API or application programming interface. But really, the underlying discipline here is good ol’-fashioned communications.
When you design a software interface, you have to imagine what the people looking at the screen will think. What are they trying to learn? What are they trying to do? What will they most likely want to do next? This is the modern day equivalent of walking around in someone else’s shoes. Once you understand your user, you can communicate with them on a much high level.
Sharing data via APIs is similarly about clear communications. For example, meet you after school becomes me.meet(on the soccer field, 3pm). The “meet” API is a method on “me” that takes two parameters: where and when. Pick up something for dinner becomes buy(salmon, lemon, broccoli). When you use an API, you need to know what method to call and what parameters or data you must include. You also must understand what result or information you get back. Programming APIs teaches people to think about all these items because at the software level your application simply won’t work if you get one of these elements wrong. It forces people to become better communicators.
With a renewed focus on technology in the educational sector, it’s exciting to think what the next generation of coders could accomplish.
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As children learn to code, there is a significant amount of benefits that have been reported.
One thing we did not cover in that, however, was the importance of coding for child development as well.As we are now into the digital age, coding seems to be the new literacy.
Coding is important for children to understand, as it teaches them skills in innovation, technology, and prepares them for the high demand in the tech industry- should they choose that route.New games such as Minecraft are creating incredible results in the developmental stages of children.
As they get more and more interested in their task at hand, they will be dedicated to seeing the challenge through to the end, thus building persistence and dedication.2.
This is how a software engineer approaches problems, with computational, logical thinking.3.
This will, in turn, improve writing skills as it helps understand the placement, structure, and order of writing.
Whatever their goals or career aspirations, children are going to need to know how to make technology work for them.
And what better way to prepare them for the future than coding – the engine that is propelling us to rapid progress in the 21st century.Isabel Sieh, founder of Girls Will Code, learned the skill at the age of 10.
There are coding systems that even children as young as four years old can work with.
With the right program and learning approach, it won’t take long for the young ones to master the basics.Still think that your child is too young to code?
Here are the top seven reasons why coding is important for young minds.1.Coding is the language of technologyChildren are growing up at a time when computing is embedded in almost all aspects of our lives.
When children get to successfully apply coding concepts and see positive results, they’ll begin to understand that hard work allows them to achieve goals they set for themselves.
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