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Everybody does not need to learn to code.

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Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#31

Post by bobbbinsIII »

whathre9 wrote: post #23
bobbbinsIII wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

most people can learn to drive, learn another language and learn to cook. a much smaller number of people can learn to code competently.

Only a small number of people might be coding competently currently, but that doesn't mean only a small number CAN. There is nothing special about programming; like learning a language, it is very possible to become competent, and anybody who is not mentally delayed can do so - it just takes effort. If you can code competently well done, but don't think yourself special.

coding competently requires intelligence and attention to detail. you need to be smart not just "not mentally delayed".

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#32

Post by Dogamondo »

"Everyone should learn how to change a tire". That was what was lamented when I was a kid, so we learned it in boy scouts.

Let's take it a step further... "Everyone should learn how to change a cam-belt", "Everyone should learn how to perform a basic car service"..."Everyone should know how to rebuild an engine".

How far do you want to take it? I agree with the OP, moreso nowadays that we move more to consumption based computing devices.

To continue my analogy of the motor car to coding, to me both are really on a 'need to know basis' in the modern landscape.

You don't really need nor may be able to easily learn the intricacies of how your car works these days as they're a lot more sophisticated than the vehicles of yore and they're also lot more reliable when it comes to their intended purpose.

Does operating your iPad need anywhere near the learned skill of running programs on the C64 of yore?

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#33

Post by [deleted] »

throwit1979 wrote: post #26
freyr wrote: post #10

Every student should have, at least, exposure to coding and the opportunity to learn it. This has not been the case in my lifetime. In middle school, a special instructor was brought in to teach programming to the GATE kids. She decided she could only handle one student. So out of the entire class, only one kid was exposed to programming in school When it was time to enter high school, there were two public schools i…

Sorry, I don't intend to cast aspersions on your upbringing, but why does class availability matter at all to this discussion? Myself, and everyone in the small group of middle school kids at my school who were interested, learned programming from books. Our school was extraordinarily poor, so the whole notion of CS classes was laughable.

[deleted]

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#34

Post by jusben1369 »

Let me ask, earnestly, why is learning to code better or more important than:

- Studying medicine at school so you can avoid engaging with the expensive medical system for all but the most critical issues? - Studying law so that you understand how to read contracts and understand legislation?

Mathematics and language are the building blocks of programming. We study those. Going further upstream into the outputs of those disciplines (medicine, law, computer science) to pick compulsory topics doesn't strike me as making much sense.

Also, how do we reconcile this with the emphasis on design whereby the concept of the underlying nuts and bolts should be abstracted away from the end user? (two very separate questions I know)

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#35

Post by gee_totes »

the_watcher wrote: post #15
freyr wrote: post #10

Every student should have, at least, exposure to coding and the opportunity to learn it. This has not been the case in my lifetime. In middle school, a special instructor was brought in to teach programming to the GATE kids. She decided she could only handle one student. So out of the entire class, only one kid was exposed to programming in school When it was time to enter high school, there were two public schools i…

Exposure and opportunity are the keys. Not everyone should learn to code, but everyone should be exposed to programming and given the chance to pursue it. Replace the year I spent learning cursive with a programming intro.

I'm the opposite. Judging from my whiteboard handwriting, I wish I spent more time learning cursive.

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#36

Post by FunnyDuck »

Again a pompous article trying to make an elite of the coders with an academic degree vs the self-taught crowd. Many excellent programmers I know are self-taught and due to their passion for working with code, they are much better than their 'full of degrees, certifications and diplomas' counterparts.

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#37

Post by daja »

A lot of school kids don't even have basic math or writing skills. I see the geek appeal of everyone learning to code, but it's really not practical. There are far greater concerns. I think a personal living class should be required. Kids don't know anything about opening a bank account, loans, renting an apartment, etc.

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#38

Post by Volscio »

jusben1369 wrote: post #34

Let me ask, earnestly, why is learning to code better or more important than: - Studying medicine at school so you can avoid engaging with the expensive medical system for all but the most critical issues? - Studying law so that you understand how to read contracts and understand legislation? Mathematics and language are the building blocks of programming. We study those. Going further upstream into the outputs of th…

I would figure a lot of what you pay a lawyer for is not making sure you understand the contract but a) to save time and b) to have someone who's in the profession and knows the legal quirks, loopholes, and procedures.

I would figure a lot of what you pay a doctor for is not to mend every problem you have with your body to but to ensure that it's done timely, safely, and with the least amount of risk/damage/scarring/whatever as possible. Yeah you could probably do your own surgery but why?

Learning to code is hardly as serious an undertaking and yet it teaches you how to think about solving a problem, estimating time to solve that problem, and reducing the amount of time needed to create the solution to that problem. It teaches general problem-solving skills and at the very least can lead to recreational uses (building small games or family web sites).

I think problem-solving is probably one of the most important skills one needs in his toolbox to succeed in life and so why wouldn't it be taught as early as children can comprehend it?

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#39

Post by mathattack »

walid wrote: post #22
bobbbinsIII wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

most people can learn to drive, learn another language and learn to cook. a much smaller number of people can learn to code competently.

Trust me, I don't cook competently, but I live alone and can get food done when needed. We don't all have to be professionals at something but we need to understand it especially when our lives depend on it. Take medicine for example, I'm also not a doctor but that didn't stop my school from forcing me to learn biology (which I loved btw) and I think we should all know things about the world when we deal with them on…

You caught my spirit perfectly. A little biology knowledge can help interacting with a doctor. It's silly to assume people should know how to compile their operating system, but an appreciation and understanding for how data is aggregated and manipulated is useful.

Re: Everybody does not need to learn to code.

#40

Post by codegeek »

"does not need" can be applied to pretty much everything. But the point is not that. The point about learning to code is simple: It is definitely one of the important drivers of the next few decades. 100 years ago, most people could not read/write in many parts of the world. Today, thats not the case. Why ? Because reading/writing is an important part of how we live our lives today. Same with computers. Yes you don't need to learn how to code and still know how to use a computer. But that is today. Who knows 20 years down the road, coding (at least some kind of hacking) will be part of what we do on a daily basis ? Food for thought!!

Learning to program also teaches you a thing or two about problem solving and critical thinking. I have a 5 month old daughter. Guess what I will get her to play with as soon as she is old enough to start hitting the keyboard ? Yep, it will be programming.

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