Reply to: Coding will save us all!

[SueEllen]

You make it sound like everyone has the innate ability to solve complex problems. They cant.
They dont go for help because thats what they have been taught, they go for help because their 'eads are hurting

They go for help because their mum, their dad, their brother, their uncle or whoever is likely to know the answer to that particular problem.

It is intelligent if used sparingly....

[SueEllen]

just tried to imagine what it would be like to teach this subject. all the hairs on the back of me neck stood on end.

sounds like a nightmare of a job

ICT teachers (well some of them) have been teaching this subject for years.

It's probably easier to teach little kids how to do it than adults.

[EternalOptimist]

You make it sound like everyone has the innate ability to solve complex problems. They cant.
They dont go for help because thats what they have been taught, they go for help because their 'eads are hurting

[tractor]

...

This with bells on.

One of my biggest frustrations with the current generation of grads/students is that when they get a problem the first thing they try and do is phone someone up to find the solution - because that is what they have been taught to do.

The actual act of taking a problem working it through logical stages and then identifying where to start looking for a solution seems to be a a rare skill these days.

Whether it is coding, fixing cars or selling ice cream from a van!

Also a rich source of innovation which can rarely be realised otherwise.

More importantly, it requires that you actually understand the problem in its' entirety before asking the forum for a solution, Suity!

[original PM]

There are plenty of coding resources for schools to use which meet the curriculum aims without being a "traditional" coding language - for example Blockly or Scratch. There are some interesting programs that schools can use for Reception children as well, which meet the goals without needing to be a code monkey.

One of the important things that all children can learn from coding is that if you have a large complex problem, breaking it down into small, manageable chunks and then putting those together, will solve the problem. That's a skill which is relevant whether they want to be an accountant, a mechanic, a brain surgeon, a code monkey, a project manager, or any other walk of life.

This with bells on.

One of my biggest frustrations with the current generation of grads/students is that when they get a problem the first thing they try and do is phone someone up to find the solution - because that is what they have been taught to do.

The actual act of taking a problem working it through logical stages and then identifying where to start looking for a solution seems to be a a rare skill these days.

Whether it is coding, fixing cars or selling ice cream from a van!

[tractor]

...

Yeah Mary gets upset and writes a letter.

Can't have them demonising ice cream salesmenpeople can we?

[EternalOptimist]

just tried to imagine what it would be like to teach this subject. all the hairs on the back of me neck stood on end.

sounds like a nightmare of a job

[vetran]

you are excluding them. and we all know where that leads, dont we

Yeah Mary gets upset and writes a letter.

[EternalOptimist]

What about them?

you are excluding them. and we all know where that leads, dont we

[TheFaQQer]

what about ice-cream van drivers

What about them?

[ShandyDrinker]

One of the important things that all children can learn from coding is that if you have a large complex problem, breaking it down into small, manageable chunks and then putting those together, will solve the problem. That's a skill which is relevant whether they want to be an accountant, a mechanic, a brain surgeon, a code monkey, a project manager, or any other walk of life.

Agreed.

I accept that it may have changed since I was at school but the people teaching anything to do with computing just weren't interested in it. As with any subject to be able to teach it well you need someone that is passionate about the subject that can communicate that passion while they're teaching...

[EternalOptimist]

That's a skill which is relevant whether they want to be an accountant, a mechanic, a brain surgeon, a code monkey, a project manager, or any other walk of life.

what about ice-cream van drivers

[TheFaQQer]

There are plenty of coding resources for schools to use which meet the curriculum aims without being a "traditional" coding language - for example Blockly or Scratch. There are some interesting programs that schools can use for Reception children as well, which meet the goals without needing to be a code monkey.

One of the important things that all children can learn from coding is that if you have a large complex problem, breaking it down into small, manageable chunks and then putting those together, will solve the problem. That's a skill which is relevant whether they want to be an accountant, a mechanic, a brain surgeon, a code monkey, a project manager, or any other walk of life.

[tractor]

...

I love this whole "everyone should code" topic... surely we could apply the same logic to everyone being a mechanic, an accountant or a lawyer. Unfortunately some people have the aptitude to do it and some don't.

I'm all for giving people the opportunity but this should be more about firing the imagination and enthusiasm in children about learning to problem solve (and code) than anything else. I can see this being poorly implemented with unenthusiastic teachers being expected to take on coding in addition to other existing responsibilities. For a subject like this you need people passionate about the subject rather than taking it as just another job.

IMV they should be finding more engaging ways of teaching the 3 r's at primary level. Even today, it is still a problem. What's the point of trying to teach algebra or binary logic before they can read and count properly?

[ShandyDrinker]

I love this whole "everyone should code" topic... surely we could apply the same logic to everyone being a mechanic, an accountant or a lawyer. Unfortunately some people have the aptitude to do it and some don't.

I'm all for giving people the opportunity but this should be more about firing the imagination and enthusiasm in children about learning to problem solve (and code) than anything else. I can see this being poorly implemented with unenthusiastic teachers being expected to take on coding in addition to other existing responsibilities. For a subject like this you need people passionate about the subject rather than taking it as just another job.