The Coding Advantage
Recently I had the opportunity to
listen to Justin Reich, Executive Director of the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Systems Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, speak to a group of teachers about the changing landscape of the
workplace and the need for more technology education. Justin made an
observation that has stuck with me to today regarding the overwhelming role
that technology plays in our world. He showed teachers a picture of an airline
ticket counter from the 1970’s, with 20 ticket agents working behind a counter
assisting travelers. He then showed a modern day version of that picture where
the ticket agents had been replaced with a series of kiosk stations that allow
passengers to check themselves into the airport. Seated at the far right was
one lonely ticket agent. As Justin explained, today’s computer systems are
really, really good at completing repetitive and routine tasks, but they are
still not great at thinking through unexpected or unpredicted problems. The
single ticket agent was there to handle these unanticipated situations, which
include things like the passenger who purchased their tickets from two
different travel websites but wasn’t able to print their boarding passes, or
the passenger who needs to check luggage that has special handling
instructions, such as a fragile musical instrument.
Justin’s airline ticket counter
example shows how much our society and the workplace have come to rely on
technology. This evolution is having a stark impact on the types of jobs that
are available to the American worker, and that in turn is greatly impacting the
role of schools in helping students become college and career ready. Now, more
than ever, our children need to become not only technology literate but
technology experts. This starts at a very young age, and one of the best ways
to spark this interest and develop this skill is to introduce kids to coding.
Coding, sometimes referred to as
programming, is the understanding of the language and the behind-the-scenes
systems that make computer software, mobile apps, web pages, social media, and
other forms of technology programs function. According to John Porter of the
eLearning Industry, there are Four Benefits of
Learning Programming at a Young Age. He writes, “Computer coding is the universal language of the
planet. People who know how to code will be able to communicate across
countries and cultures, be innovative, and solve problems more efficiently,
with no barriers to impede their success. Learning programming at a young age
helps your children solve everyday problems and get set up for a lifetime of
opportunities.” Porter goes on to identify the benefits as follows:
1.
Education Benefits: Helping children understand how
computers and computer systems work.
2.
Computational Thinking: Helping children learn to
communicate their thoughts with structure and logic.
3.
Creativity, Thinking Fluidity: Teaching children to use their
creative side and “think outside the box” to solve problems.
4.
Job Opportunities: Helping children prepare to be
successful in a technology-driven workplace, such as the airline ticket
counter!
Teachers who are looking for a good
place to start with coding may want to consider reading this article from iMore
entitled How to Learn to Code
When You Have No Idea Where to Start. Another good resource is recent article by Edutopia’s Matt
Davis: Teach Your Kids to
Code: 6 Beginner’s Resources for Parents. There, readers can be introduced to websites such as
the Made WIth Code Google
site, or the
computer programming classes available for free through Khan Academy.
Coding can start at any age, from
preschool through adult. It teaching problem-solving skills, critical thinking
skills, and fosters creativity. Teachers, how will you do more with coding in
your classroom?
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