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Why We Should Teach Our Kids To Code
An anonymous reader writes "An article by Andy Young in The Kernel makes the case that lessons in programming should be compulsory learning for modern school kids. He says, 'Computers help us automate and repeat the many complicated steps that make up the search for the answer to some of our hardest problems: whether that's a biologist attempting to model a genome or an office administrator tasked with searching an endless archive of data. The use of tools is a big part of what make us human, and the computer is humanity's most powerful tool. ... The computer makes us more efficient, and enables and empowers us to achieve far more than we ever could otherwise. Yet the majority of us are entirely dependent on a select few, to enable us to achieve what we want. Programming is the act of giving computers instructions to perform. This is true whether the output is your word processor, central heating or aircraft control system. If you can't code, you are forced to rely on those that can to ensure that you can benefit from the greatest tool at your disposal.'"
According to my organizational behaviour book ( http://www.amazon.com/Organizational-Behavior-13th-Stephen-Robbins/dp/0136007171 ) only 30% is dictated by your surroundings.
Studies conducted on twin brothers separated at birth tend to conclude that most twins will end up with similar skills, jobs and interests. It's not overrated, it's fact... The book is actually quite interesting, I advice you to read it if you can get your hands on it.
A lot of people here make a good point that is, however, not relevant. Namely, that "we don't need more programmers." I'm inclined to agree, especially hearing from friends about how difficult the job market is for many of them. However, this criticism misses the point: we want to teach those that *aren't* going to programmers, in order to provide them with a well-rounded education.
Most of the people that are taught algebra (or any math above basic arithmatic) will never use it in their work, much less be mathematicians. Same for a foreign language, or history, geography, chemistry, physics, etc. For that matter, it is completely irrelevant to the lives of the vast majority of people whether humankind developed after billions of years of evolution, or created in a day. Yet I don't see many slashdotters arguing in favor of those religious groups that don't want to teach accurate biology. Children should be given exposure to as much information and knowledge as possible, to make them better informed and educated adults. What they do with it then is up to them.
Other countries do a better job producing more well-rounded students. Let me give an example: A German friend, a Ph.D. student in comparative literature, asked what my CompSci Ph.D. thesis was about. I said "mathematical integration," and asked her if she was familiar with the term (from experience, most Americans without science backgrounds are not). "Obviously," she said "I did graduate from high school, you know."
Apparently, in Germany, everyone at university-bound high schools takes calculus. It's just expected. It doesn't matter if they're going to be in science or math. It is taught in case they might use it, and so that they can be generally more-knowledgeable people. The same, in my view, should apply with programming. It teaches rigorous, formal thinking skills, something that is sorely lacking in American academia.
I am an engineer who programs. I do automation. Most of my time is spent programming, but I would not have this job if I were not an engineer. The working conditions are great. Job satisfaction is pretty good. Not a girl, so don't know about sexual harassment, but have not seen any in my office (but there are not any female engineers). We outsource the gruntwork, but then the program has to be fixed, tested, and installed. If my boss could outsource my job he would (not because he is a dick or anything but because he is a businessman and is not going to give me charity) but he can't. Your life sucks because you don't have a useful skill to leverage with your programming, so you are a commodity. The point is, as you seem to agree, that people should not become just programmers. Programming should be a skill, not a job. Everyone should learn to program, just like everyone needs to learn to write. I write emails all day long (or at least it seems like it), but my career is not writing. My value add is engineering, which I leverage with my programming and writing skills. There are very few professions that I can think of where your worth does not increase dramatically from knowing how to program.
you are insane, i like math, but math homework is the most mind numbingly boring and tedious thing in existence. it is just monotonous repeating the same style of problem over and over...isn't this why they invented computers?
Thus why we made it into a game/contest. You think mmorpgs are any less mindnumbingly boring and tedious than math homework?
you needed a better school then.
I went to a very good middle school, magnet and all that fancy stuff. All that meant was that the administrators had different but even more strict bins they put students into. Can't be too gifted or it complicates their little student filing system and they just can't have that. I'm pretty certain at this point that the better the public school the more bureaucratic the school administrators are.
Of course, now that No Child Left Behind and standardized testing is king they might want to keep smart kids back just so they raise the test scores.
i was sent to the high school for math while attending the middle school, and then they paid the tuition for me to go to a nearby university while in high school. and there were about 4 other high school students in my university courses, from other nearby towns. i didn't go to any fancy private school either, i was just in our states public school system.
So did I although the school wasn't at all happy to do so. Apparently, where I was, a school has to provide education at your level or find/allow means to do so. Of course, proving that you are above what they can provide is where the hiccup is. Apparently, passing the Calculus AP exam in 6th grade makes a case that is really hard for anyone to argue against. That and the school really didn't want the press coverage they'd get if they didn't stop shoving their shitty math classes down my throat.