Why All Kids Should Be Learning to Code What language permeates virtually every culture in the entire world? It isn’t English or Mandarin, it’s the language of code. Our lives are dependent on computers and the software that runs those computers, whether they sit on our desktops or fit in our pockets. In order to navigate the computing universe, you need to be proficient in code: Java, Python, and Ruby, to name three examples. So why isn’t code taught in the classroom with as much emphasis as English or Math?
Kids in the U.S. are lagging behind When it comes to computers, kids in the U.S. have a lot of ground to make up. South Korea’s students have the highest digital literacy, according to a 2011 study by the Paris-based OECD Programmer for International Assessment (PISA). How does the U.S. fare on this list? Hard to say, because the U.S. doesn’t even track their students’ computing abilities, which is a big indicator of our priorities when it comes to education. The U.S. is still home to many of the top university programs for the computer sciences, but the majority of students accepted into these programs are from different countries, according to a 2012 report by the National Science Foundation. There’s been a big push in recent years, especially by the Obama administration, to emphasize STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education in our public schools. However, most schools don’t include the computer sciences in their core curriculum. Instead, computer classes center around word processors and learning to use basic software. If a student wants to delve deeper into code, they usually have to do it on their own time.
What a student gets from learning code Not every kid will need to write code for their future career, but it is still a valuable skill that can apply to just about anything. For example, computer coding teaches you critical thinking skills—combining mathematics, logic, and algorithms to solve basic problems. It teaches you a different, new way to view the world around you. It also gives you an in-demand skill that could open doors to highly lucrative careers across a number of industries.
We need innovators Many of the great innovators in computing came from the U.S.: Apple, Microsoft, and IBM, to name just three examples. In order to stay at the forefront of technological advances, we have to give our children the necessary tools to compete in an increasingly global marketplace. Children are already rising to the challenge in many ways. For example, some of the most-downloaded cellphone apps these days are created by teenagers, like the popular iOS app Finish, which was designed by two highschool students from Boulder, Colorado. If we can provide a better framework for kids to build off of, then they’ll find even more ways to innovate. Teaching code to every student in the country will only stoke the technological fire, creating a new generation of computer programmers to lead the globe.
It’s never too late to learn code For those of us who didn’t learn the language of code in Junior High and High School, there are still many opportunities to acquire this crucial skill. InfoCenter offers many courses in computer science, including Oracle training in Kuwait. Sign up today for one of our courses, and continue your journey into the computer sciences! Photo Credit: flaivoloka, triffe