The big debate over programming in schools

[Jamie McKane]

The big debate over programming in schools

As with many countries, South Africa is seriously considering including coding into the national curriculum.

In fact, earlier this year Cyril Ramaphosa made it very clear that inclusion will be an objective he intends to see come to fruition during his presidency.

[EE Publishers]

 

[RonSwanson]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1871771186484787

 

[daveza]

And we will get a few thousand coding teachers where ?

 

[Fuzzbox]

First you need to LEARN how to read and write.

 

[Milano]

 

[Milano]

GDP comparison

Armenia = 11,54 billion USD

South Africa = 349,4 billion USD

 

[Milano]

 

[Swa]

Coding...

 

[^^vampire^^]

Interestingly in Australia, while perusing linkedin, I've noticed quite a few high level execs starting to code to manage some of their daily duties. It's obviously nowhere near the level of full time devs but it just shows how important it is becoming.

 

[elvis_presley]

In the 80's it used to be compulsory - we did Logo during computer studies. Logo's a great introductory tool for coding. Teaches many of the fundamentals in a nice visual manner.

As a career coder with 25+ years experience, I think trying to teach everyone coding is silly, but using a tool like Logo to help them understand the fundamentals is great, as they're not specific to coding - if kept slightly abstracted, it can teach logical thinking, planning ahead and breaking seemingly impossible tasks down into more manageable bite-sized chunks.

 

[cguy]

In the 80's it used to be compulsory - we did Logo during computer studies. Logo's a great introductory tool for coding. Teaches many of the fundamentals in a nice visual manner.

As a career coder with 25+ years experience, I think trying to teach everyone coding is silly, but using a tool like Logo to help them understand the fundamentals is great, as they're not specific to coding - if kept slightly abstracted, it can teach logical thinking, planning ahead and breaking seemingly impossible tasks down into more manageable bite-sized chunks.

Agreed. Just teach goddamn LOGO. The way they’re going about it is going to skirt over the fundamentals and result in entire country full of script kiddies.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

And we will get a few thousand coding teachers where ?

Coding teachers, yes, bigger problem, where is the hardware going to come from, to teach coding, and how are you going to stop the affirmative shopping crowd from helping themselves to said hardware, never mind losses due to misuse and abuse.

 

[akescpt]

always good ideas with kak implementation.

 

[Tabac]

I want to be an Eenganeer.
I want to be a Kouder.

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

always good ideas with kak implementation.

We talk up a storm, and cannot deliver on what we promise ...

 

[elf_lord_ZC5]

I want to be an Eenganeer.
I want to be a Kouder.

Ja, well, no fine, ...

 

[krycor]

Other than satisfying idiotic recruiting numbers (u know the ones that want 5yrs experience in a language that is 3yrs old haha for a junior position) I don’t see it as a value add as I don’t see people hiring matriculants as developers directly(well except for the few who aren’t the same subset as majority).

Also.. fixing bad programming habits is a much harder task than teaching a new language at university.