Podcast discussion: Does Everyone Need to Code?

[easyazon_image align=”right” height=”160″ identifier=”0989151107″ locale=”US” src=”https://inventtolearn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/41Mmd7vzBL.SL160.jpg” tag=”neweasyazon-20″ width=”112″]For decades, I have marveled at the vehemence with which seemingly reasonable adults defend not teaching kids to program computers. Aside from the typical (and often dubious) justifications popularized by politicians, Hour of Code, and the Computer Science for All community, I know how learning to program in the 7th grade was an intellectual awakening that has served me well for more than four decades.

So, when #1 Canadian, Dean Shareski, posed the following tweet, I decided to take “his” question seriously and offered to speak with him about the top online. Then another person I don’t know, Shana White, called in.

I hear some suggest everyone should learn to code. Ok. But should everyone learn basic woodworking? electrical work? cooking? plumbing? automotive? Those are all good things but is time part of the issue? How do all these good things get taught? Just thinking out loud.— Dean Shareski (@shareski) September 10, 2018

For what it’s worth, some of y0u might find the conversation interesting or just use it to lull yourself to sleep.

You may listen to or download the podcast here.

#basta

2 Comments on “Podcast discussion: Does Everyone Need to Code?

  1. Writing programs is a skill just like writing songs, playing a musical instrument or drawing pictures. Almost everyone can learn the basics if they want to, and with some effort and lots of practice they can get pretty good at it. Not everyone wants to go to that much trouble to learn something they aren’t interested in or feel that they wouldn’t get good enough to enjoy doing it, let alone make a living at it.

  2. I think an effort to make certain learning to code is an educational option is different from coding for all. It is unclear to me what unique proficiency coding develops that would have universal value.