Should programming be a compulsory subject in schools?

Should programming be a compulsory subject in schools?

  • Yes

    Votes: 30 36.6%

  • No

    Votes: 52 63.4%
  • Total voters
    82
marco79 said:
I would say compulsory Maths coupled with good teachers would be more beneficial than compulsory programming.
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Agreed. It's great as an option for those who want to do it by choice but having it be compulsory... Nah fam
 
Baxteen said:
it needs to be taught at a young age.
nothign hectic, jsut basic things, the backbone of what programming is. this is what loops, if statements and variables are and how they work.

this will give an oppertunity for those who were never naturally exposed to it but do have a natural talent to gain exposure and possibly persue the career.

I am talking like grade 8 here. grade 9 make it an elective subject and go into more detail.
when grade 10 rolls around you can skip the basics and do higher level things. so a highschool student can walk out and potentially be hired as a junior developer.
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I agree. Programming has been a huge part of my life, and it's unlikely I would be where I am today if I didn't have the head start I got from "accidentally" picking up an Usborne programming book, and "inheriting" an old BBC in the early 80's as a kid. Basically... the only external influence needed was an extremely simple introduction to programming (print, loops, variables, arithmetic, conditionals, etc., which I got from the book) and a machine to experiment on, and I could take it from there. I think it makes sense to have a compulsory short course on it, just to give those with the flare/interest to self-teach themselves the opportunity to do so.

EDIT: To be clear, I think that a short (say 5-10 lessons) course in grade 6 or 7 should be compulsory (as a full elective matric subject it should be optional), so that students potentially start self-teaching, or at least can get a better idea of whether or not they they want to do computer-studies/IT (or whatever it's called now) as an elective.
 
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I think kids should be made aware that such a thing as programming exists and what it's all about at a young age, as part of the lots of other things you learn about in primary school. Those who think it's cool should then be encouraged to take a course on it, but it shouldn't be forced on anybody.
 
No way. Most people aren't into coding, why force them to take it.
 
I voted yes, but only barely so.

Programming enforces a type of 'precision' approach in cognition. Things can't just work more or less and some of the time, it must be exact. If thought patterns of this kind are developed then quality all round may improve. Mathematics and physics of course develops similar attributes.
 
etienne_marais said:
I voted yes, but only barely so.

Programming enforces a type of 'precision' approach in cognition. Things can't just work more or less and some of the time, it must be exact. If thought patterns of this kind are developed then quality all round may improve. Mathematics and physics of course develops similar attributes.
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So does maths :)

...and physics and chemistry.
 
They are not competent with the subjects they have how do they achieve programming .
 
In addition to the normal curriculum, teach them how to write a CV, what to do during an interview, how to file a return with SARS, etc. You know, skills they'd actually NEED in real life.

May seem like a cliché, but it's true: programming ISN'T for everyone. Rather train them on the basics, so that when they leave school and go to work straight away without any tertiary education, like most South Africans, they're not complete idiots when they're sitting at a computer screen.
 
biometrics said:
Your point being?
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That we need to be moving to a knowledge economy.

That everyone should be at least exposed to the basics at school. They can then decide at grade 10 whether they want to take it further or not.

It's the whole reason everything is compulsory till grade 10.

That's the besides the fact someone needs to first be exposed to something to decide whether they like it or not.
 
The Voice said:
In addition to the normal curriculum, teach them how to write a CV, what to do during an interview
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I'm certain that at one point or another, I did these two in LO. So what you're really just asking for are syllabus tweaks not an entirely new addition to the curriculum which shouldn't be a problem.
 
SammyD said:
I'm certain that at one point or another, I did these two in LO. So what you're really just asking for are syllabus tweaks not an entirely new addition to the curriculum which shouldn't be a problem.
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Clearly didn't work for a lot of people. Some of the CV's that I saw from applicants were, well - let's just say we never called them for an interview, or kept their CV's on file.

I'd say that the current education system needs to go back to how it was 20 or more years ago. Structured lessons and text books, with a dash of life skills thrown in. We have thousands of people with OBE matric certificates that aren't worth the paper they're printed on.
 
Baxteen said:
it needs to be taught at a young age.
nothign hectic, jsut basic things, the backbone of what programming is. this is what loops, if statements and variables are and how they work.

this will give an oppertunity for those who were never naturally exposed to it but do have a natural talent to gain exposure and possibly persue the career.
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No. But schools could maybe put greater effort into teaching gramer and speling, judging from your post.
 
Most of the best programmers I've gotten to work with have never done coding at school, some not even at university. But the majority of them are graduates with many having a masters and some even Phds.

Motivate kids to be the best they can, to value education and want a better life.
 
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