"Have you cracked the code?" That's a phrase that could commonly be mistaken for a James Bond movie line, but what I'm talking about is computer programming code. Coding to some might seem like a specialty skill area that people learn by enrolling in a college course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but it isn't. Many of you might even freak out at the idea of programming a computer, but what if I told you that even a Kindergartener can do it?
All around the world, students like my 3rd graders have taken part in an event called "Hour of Code." The Hour of Code started as a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify "code", to show that anybody can learn the basics, and to broaden interest in the field of computer science. Since its inception in 2012, it has become a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science, starting with 1-hour coding activities but expanding to all sorts of community efforts. (For more info on Hour of Code check out their website: https://code.org/learn.) Now the real question here is, "What's the value of coding?" I have three reasons as to why I value the teaching of coding in a classroom. 1. Coding Develops Problem Solving And Thinking Skills The skills that come with computer programming help students develop new ways of thinking and foster problem-solving techniques that can have big repercussions in other academic areas. Computational thinking allows a preschooler to grasp concepts like algorithms, recursion and heuristics—even if they don’t understand the terms, they’ll learn the basic concepts (Preschool teachers, you can let the older grade educators teach them those terms.) I have also found that my 3rd graders have a better understanding of basic mathematical functions like addition, subtraction, and multiplication after working with coding language. 2. Understanding Code Helps Students Explain The World Around Them Today, computers are involved in almost all aspects of our lives, from communications and education to social media, banking, information, security and shopping. Networked computers are capable of controlling our homes’ thermostats and lighting (If you've ever heard the term "Smart Homes" this is what they were talking about), our cars and our health records. If students are taught biology and mathematics in order to understand the world around them, then knowing the basics of how computers communicate—and how to engage with them—should go hand-in-hand. 3. It Can Spark Creativity In Your Most Stuborn Students Ever had a student who's response to everything was, "That's boring." (I can visualize every teacher's hands raising right now...) I can tell you from personal experience that some of my most stubborn students who don't like the more tradtional style of learning have come back to me days after asking, "When can I code again?" I hope this post has helped spur on some intrigue in the idea of teaching K-12 students to code and how valuable a tool it can be in teaching in today's world of interconnectivity. If you are a teacher, administrator, or someone just plain curious on how to get started in coding feel free to shoot me a message or check out the resources I've listed below. Sincerely, Your Friendly Neighborhood Tech Guy Resources for Coding in Your Classrooms:
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AuthorBenjamin's educational experiences include teaching both 3rd and 4th grades all around the state of Iowa. His commitment to students has led to various local and state awards and honors such as being named the 2014 Iowa Technology Educator of the Year and authoring a section of a chapter in Dr. Todd Whittaker's book Start. Right. Now.: Teach and Lead for Excellence on maximizing student potential. |