Re:President Obama calls on every American to learn code
by kamaal on Tuesday December 10, 2013 @02:45AM
(#6879490)
Again I don't see how this is in any related only to programming.
Programming was introduced to me in school and was the most boring subject of all. Because the problems we solved looked totally irrelevant to not just me, but every kid in the school. I was glad I opted out of it and did physics experiments instead. It made whole lot sense. Had I continued working on brain dead sorting, and arithmetic problems I would have developed permanent hatred towards programming. I was already learning simultaneous equations, quadratic equations in the Math classes without understanding why and what they even meant. Why learn another such subject?
Physics was a place where I saw application of pure mathematics to real life scenarios.
Skills that you need to be a good programmer by and large the very same that you need to indulge in any creative activity. Clear definition of the problem, deconstructing it into smaller parts, apply a definite science in assembling smaller solutions, going into a build-feedback-correct cycle etc. You will have to do the same if you do physics, chemistry, biology, math, painting, music, history and may be anything on earth.
Programming doesn't make much sense unless there is a larger context and scope of your learning in helping solve some meaningful problems gets visible. Other wise the kids will just be doing yet another routine boring math kind of work without knowing its true application.
Remember kids building tree houses, That requires nearly the same kind of stuff required to be good programmer, or to take part in a science exhibition. Or a essay writing competition. What is important is to teach kids learn to discover how to work on creative problems.
Programming was introduced to me in school and was the most boring subject of all. Because the problems we solved looked totally irrelevant to not just me, but every kid in the school. I was glad I opted out of it and did physics experiments instead. It made whole lot sense. Had I continued working on brain dead sorting, and arithmetic problems I would have developed permanent hatred towards programming. I was already learning simultaneous equations, quadratic equations in the Math classes without understanding why and what they even meant. Why learn another such subject?
Physics was a place where I saw application of pure mathematics to real life scenarios.
Skills that you need to be a good programmer by and large the very same that you need to indulge in any creative activity. Clear definition of the problem, deconstructing it into smaller parts, apply a definite science in assembling smaller solutions, going into a build-feedback-correct cycle etc. You will have to do the same if you do physics, chemistry, biology, math, painting, music, history and may be anything on earth.
Programming doesn't make much sense unless there is a larger context and scope of your learning in helping solve some meaningful problems gets visible. Other wise the kids will just be doing yet another routine boring math kind of work without knowing its true application.
Remember kids building tree houses, That requires nearly the same kind of stuff required to be good programmer, or to take part in a science exhibition. Or a essay writing competition. What is important is to teach kids learn to discover how to work on creative problems.