Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
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Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
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Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#2"If someone tells you “coding is the new literacy” because “computers are everywhere today,” ask them how fuel injection works. By teaching low-level coding, I worry that we are effectively teaching our children the art of automobile repair."
I think this article misses the point that "fuel injection" and other vocational skills are nowhere near as prolific and impactful as code on daily life.
Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#3"If someone tells you “coding is the new literacy” because “computers are everywhere today,” ask them how fuel injection works. By teaching low-level coding, I worry that we are effectively teaching our children the art of automobile repair." I think this article misses the point that "fuel injection" and other vocational skills are nowhere near as prolific and impactful as code on daily life.
Electric wiring is a vocation that is far more important than coding and yet society isn't constantly encouraging everyone to be an electrician.
Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#4I'm surprised a person as knowledgeable about the field as Mr. Atwood would write a column that seemingly endorses the notion that Computer Science == Coding/Programming. The public already has a large misunderstanding regarding this point (not to mention the difference between IT and CS). And I think politicians are under the impression that teaching students to code is the same as teaching them computer science. I'm disappointed to say the least that Mr. Atwood would further encourage this misconception that does serious damage to public discourse. We can't discuss a subject when we don't understand its terms/definition.
Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#5I'm surprised a person as knowledgeable about the field as Mr. Atwood would write a column that seemingly endorses the notion that Computer Science == Coding/Programming . The public already has a large misunderstanding regarding this point (not to mention the difference between IT and CS). And I think politicians are under the impression that teaching students to code is the same as teaching them computer science. I…
"The public already has a large misunderstanding regarding this point *(not to mention the difference between IT and CS)*"
(Maybe I misunderstood your point)
Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#6"If someone tells you “coding is the new literacy” because “computers are everywhere today,” ask them how fuel injection works. By teaching low-level coding, I worry that we are effectively teaching our children the art of automobile repair." I think this article misses the point that "fuel injection" and other vocational skills are nowhere near as prolific and impactful as code on daily life.
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Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#7I'm surprised a person as knowledgeable about the field as Mr. Atwood would write a column that seemingly endorses the notion that Computer Science == Coding/Programming . The public already has a large misunderstanding regarding this point (not to mention the difference between IT and CS). And I think politicians are under the impression that teaching students to code is the same as teaching them computer science. I…
"The public already has a large misunderstanding regarding this point *(not to mention the difference between IT and CS)*" Is there a difference between IT and CS? (Serious question) (Maybe I misunderstood your point)
IT refers to Information Technology. CS refers to Computer Science. IT is an applied technical discipline concerned with using available technologies to manipulate data for organizational operations. In its pure form, CS is a theoretical field concerned with using computational tools to solve problems on top of a mathematical foundation.
Of course there is a vague line between certain branches of applied computer science and theoretical information technology where the terms become nebulous. Wikipedia has decent definitions of both if you're so interested.
Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#8Yes, lots of people go through college with poor reading skills, but more or less hours of English class, or language class, or whatever is called in US is not going to improve that.
In my country is the same thing: everytime an international study like PISA shows that we are very low in reading and math skills, politicians promise more hours of reading and math classes per week. Selling that it's easier than changing how these classes are teached.
Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#9Reminds me of this: http://www.chris-granger.com/2015/01/26/coding-is-not-the-ne...
Re: Jeff Atwood: Learning to code is overrated
#10I'm surprised a person as knowledgeable about the field as Mr. Atwood would write a column that seemingly endorses the notion that Computer Science == Coding/Programming . The public already has a large misunderstanding regarding this point (not to mention the difference between IT and CS). And I think politicians are under the impression that teaching students to code is the same as teaching them computer science. I…
Agreed completely! Similarly, most states' math curricula is stuck in an era when it was expected that the primary reason to learn math in high school was to be prepared for a science/engineering discipline in college. A curriculum more focused on number theory, logic, probability, and statistics would be far more useful to a greater number of students than one centered on trigonometry and calculus. Adding Computer Science to such a curriculum would only have an additive effect, I think.