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Steve Furber On Why Kids Are Turned Off To Computing Classes

Posted by timothy on from the thought-the-kids-were-alright dept.

nk497 writes "UK computing legend Steve Furber — co-founder of Acorn and ARM designer — believes students are avoiding computing classes because they teach nothing but the boring basics. Currently studying why the number of students signing up for computing has halved in the past eight years, Furber said schools focus too much on teaching kids how to use spreadsheets, word processors and PowerPoint, rather than teaching more challenging areas such as programming. 'What schools are presenting as ICT as an academic subject is very mundane compared with what students know they can do,' he said. 'It's as if maths was just arithmetic or English was taught as just spelling. It's not unimportant that you can do arithmetic or you can spell, but it certainly doesn't open up the whole world of interest and challenge, if that's all you do.'"

5 of 383 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Guilty by roman_mir · · Score: 5, Funny

    pffft, I type with my dick. The only problem is that balls keep pushing the space-bar.

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    You can't handle the truth.
  2. Re:well.. by dcollins · · Score: 5, Funny

    "iliterate"

    You don't say.

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    We know where leadership by an anti-intellectual "strongman" who scapegoats minorities and likes boisterous rallies goes
  3. Re:well.. by Red+Flayer · · Score: 4, Funny

    I've had the lick of having learned to type blind, which makes me able to type without having to think about the keyboard and focus on programming instead, but even the slowest typing collegues seem to have a reasonable typing speed.

    Irony alert... irony alert... Irony level has been set to MAUVE.

    In the event that additional typos are detected in a post regarding touch-typing ability, please be aware that the irony level may be raised to FUSCHIA. Please ensure your irony preparedness kits are completely stocked, and stay tuned for further announcements.

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    "Trolls they were, but filled with the evil will of their master: a fell race..." -- J.R.R. Tolkien on Olog-hai
  4. Re:Guilty by red_dragon · · Score: 5, Funny

    What language can be written entirely with only the bottom row of the keyboard?

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    In Soviet Russia, Jesus asks: "What Would You Do?"
  5. Re:Guilty by c++0xFF · · Score: 4, Funny

    Whitespace.