Image via CrunchBase
Today’s world, both corporate and domestic, is largely controlled, managed, and run digitally. Students do homework, write papers, and attend classes online or using digital technology. We communicate via text and email; we manage our calendars, finances, and daily lives at a computer (or in my case, my iPhone), not on paper. Even our social lives and our recreational time are touched, if not managed, by digital technology. This total shift in medium has created an ongoing need for tangible programmers, individuals who understand how to write the code that makes all of this possible.
Until recently, programming and coding were considered important courses for those individuals majoring in computer science, and certainly, these specialists are in short supply in the job market today. Students who have learned coding in the earlier grades are able to integrate these skills into their daily activities, and are well suited for a computer science major when they reach college. All research on promising careers in today’s marketplace point to information technology fields, with coding and programming resting at the top of these lists.
However, a curriculum in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade should require at least basic courses in programming for EVERYONE, not just those interested in pursuing careers in information technology. Teaching students to utilize software and web based programs, without teaching them how to program or code them is much like teaching them to read, but never teaching them to write. In all areas, from math to language arts to music, the ability to code and program will eventually be tantamount to the ability to communicate at all.
There are many different professional fields that will benefit, moving forward, from a knowledge and skill level in tangible programming. Teachers who can write their own code can create custom tools for their students; architects and engineers will be better able to compete in their fields if they are not limited by the software they have access to rather than being able to write their own. Musicians will find that mixing and recording original pieces will require an ability to write their own programs, and the fields of visual arts and graphic design are already heavily dependent on these skills.
The future of toys has been heavily affected by the digital age, and the growing demand for professionals who are able to design and write code for video games, social networking sites, and streaming software will have promising careers stretched out before them. As children are affected by the growing popularity of digital gaming and entertainment systems, so will their rising interest in creating and manipulating this technology.
Educators know that young children have very open minds and are able to pick up new ideas and skills, and if we begin educating them early, instead of waiting until high school or college, the basics of coding will be engrained in their knowledge base. In fact, these students will be able to use these skills as they complete their school projects, class work, and homework, throughout their elementary and secondary education. Whether they are interested in a career in computer science or another topic, by the time they move on to college, they will have the digital communication skills necessary to succeed in any subject area.
Another important reason to expose students early to coding and tangible programming skills is that there is a common image, created by entertainment media primarily, that computer science majors and career programmers are “nerds” and “geeks.” They are depicted as shy people with poor personal skills. This image has been steering students away from the subject for years, but if students are exposed to the skills and knowledge early, they will see that creating their own programs is interesting, and even fun. This past year, I’ve been privileged to partner and build a social venture that has taught students with and without previous programming experience to learn programming, and launch student-generated mobile app products to market. We’ve had students receive as much praise among their peers that’s similar to most student athletes’, and it’s been my most professional satisfying experience. Our team knows that each student will have special skills unique to him/her, and we will try to fine-tune those skill-sets while expanding their skills to overall programming. Some students will be great at UI. Some will understand logic quickly. At the end of the sessions, they will all learn how to create simple applications. By building interest early, the schools can turn out a greater number of graduates with an interest and aptitude in this ever-growing field.
