This Is Why Kids Should Learn How To Code

At 14, I landed my first summer job teaching coding to kids.

I hopped on the bus for the half-hour ride to my school, where I taught elementary school children how to write very simple programs using Logo, a computer language developed to teach kids basic programming concepts. (Logo is the predecessor to Scratch, a language used widely today by schools to introduce students to coding.)

While I took several computer science courses in high school and one more in college, my attention quickly shifted to Asian languages, history and politics, and eventually to business. I didn’t major in computer science and I never became a coder.

I’m a communications and marketing guy. I do publishing, PR, and digital marketing. But while I may not be a coder, the work I do has been impacted significantly by the code that quietly runs the applications I rely on each day.

The software technologies deployed today are far more advanced than what I learned as a student three decades ago. But the grounding in coding that I gained back then has given me a level of understanding of technology and comfort using it that I may not otherwise have.

Which brings me to the ongoing debate around teaching kids to code. I’ve read the arguments for and against. And here’s where I stand on the issue:

1. Kids should learn to code.
2. They should start early, if possible.
3. They should develop their skills as far as they can while they are at school.

Why kids should learn to code

A number of reasons have been put forth for why kids should learn to code. Here’s my take:

Coding helps develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills. Coding teaches how to break complex problems into smaller chunks and solve them, and then integrate them back into a unified solution: the application. It goes without saying that this is a highly transferable skill. Every job in every industry needs better problem-solvers.

Coding requires understanding what users want and crafting solutions to their needs. Again, a skill that is in demand in just about any industry one can think of.

Coding requires working in teams. While there will always be a need for solo coders, complex coding projects require working in teams, sometimes very large ones. Transferable skill? Check.

Learning to code opens the door to job opportunities. Hadi Partovi, co-founder of Code.org, estimates that 1.4 million programming jobs will be needed over the next decade while current projections are for only 400,000 graduates in the field.

A study by Payscale.com ranks computer science as the “third most valuable college major”, with median starting pay of $53,000.

Learning to code gives non-coders confidence with technology. The fact is, most students won’t go on to become professional coders. But whatever occupation they pursue, learning the basics of coding can give them a sense of confidence with technology. MIT Professor Seymour Papert, known as the “father of educational computing” and one of the developers of Logo, once said,

children should be programming the computer rather than being programmed by it.

A statement that still rings true today.

How to get started

There’s no shortage of online resources that can teach you how to code. Computer Science Education Week is now underway, and Code.org has been promoting One Hour of Code, a one-hour introduction to computer science that intends to “demystify code.” More than 66 million people worldwide have taken up the challenge so far.

In addition to Code.org, there are many great websites that provide coding instruction for free or for a fee. Help Kids Code has a helpful list of sites that teach coding, and offers other useful articles and resources, many for free.

Are you a student? Wherever you’re at in your academic career, it’s never too late to start. Explore your interests and build your skills from there. Find a place in your academic schedule to take a course.

If no courses are offered?—?an unfortunate reality at many schools?—?or they aren’t offered at a time that fits your schedule, then jump online and find something yourself. You’ll be amply rewarded for taking the initiative to learn how to code.

***

At school, my friends and I were sometimes teased for spending so much time on our computers. Back then, the term “computer geek” was considered anything but a compliment.

But that was three decades ago. The world is a very different place now, and coding has assumed a whole new level of significance and impact.

Today, it’s considered chic to be a computer geek.

(And for the final word on the matter, here’s Steve Jobs)

What do you think about kids learning to code? Please weigh in with a comment.

Thanks for reading! Please check out my other blog posts at Digital Ink Never Dries.

Connect with me here on LinkedIn.

Find me on Twitter @glennleibowitz

Image credit: "Revenge of the Nerds" - 20th Century Fox via uproxx.com