Coding for Dummies
or should I say...
<h1>Coding for Dummies</h1>
Remember the For Dummies books? Well, this week, I felt like I needed one of those for coding. I know you said not to run at the thought of working with code, but…I did. I panicked. I ran straight to my boyfriend, an electrical and computer engineer, and the most patient man in the world.
I am no stranger to computers. Born in ‘93, I grew up with a computer and barely remember a world without the internet. I don’t remember being taught anything about how to use a computer in school besides Word, PowerPoint, and typing. Mavis Beacon, anyone? Everything I know was self-taught through trial and error and Google.
I like to think I’m pretty adept at using educational technology and other applications to enhance my teaching and streamline my daily life. HOWEVER. I became an English Language/Arts teacher and am now a librarian for a reason. Math and math-based sciences were NOT my thing. Zero interest. None.
It blows my mind that young kids are coding in school, and I think it’s fantastic. If I had been introduced to coding in a fun, engaging way, I might have taken a totally different career path. Take, for example, Scratch. Scratch is touted as “the world’s largest coding community for children.” Its simple visual interface allows young learners to create digital stories, games, and animations.” Thanks to my boyfriend, I am also vaguely familiar with Raspberry Pi, which owns Scratch and several other platforms, which I am now just realizing through my research for this post. Raspberry Pi offers options for students to learn coding and computing projects through guided study and individual projects. Students can learn web design “by building websites and apps by learning HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.” They can also learn Python which is“one of the world’s most popular programming languages to create digital art, interactive maps, and models.” Lastly, students can create and explore 3D worlds with Unity.
I’ve also heard of Hour of Code and have worked in schools that have incorporated it into their curriculum. I find their website pretty impressive, especially how they’ve managed to make a concept as complex and foreign to me as coding so enticing for kids. And it’s not just targeted at boys either–Anna and Elsa even have their own coding game! #womeninSTEM #boyscanlikeprincessestoo
Advocates for coding in school present compelling arguments. According to Common Sense Media’s Teachers’ Essential Guide to Coding in the Classroom, coding fosters digital creativity, develops valuable thinking skills, enhances understanding of technology, and opens doors to opportunities. Plus, they say that it’s fun!
However, an article on Coding Ideas with Kids acknowledges some potential disadvantages to teaching coding in school. The article’s first point is that coding demands a significant amount of attention span which many children may not possess yet. As someone who now teaches tiny humans, I feel this in my soul. Sometimes I can hardly get a kid to follow simple directions, like, sitting down in a chair for more than 7 seconds. And they want us to teach this kid how to code? The article also notes that learning to code takes time. Many children are prone to frustration if they can’t master it instantly. Having been a former “gifted” kid, I know this would have been me. Lastly, the author questions if coding in school is really necessary…and I tend to agree. While it’s a nice thought to have all students learn basic coding skills, it’s not a priority in my book. Perhaps it’s because coding doesn’t align with my personal interests, but I believe schools have more pressing matters to address at the moment, such as socialization skills in the post-COVID era and teaching kids how to read. Has anyone heard the Sold a Story podcast? If not, have a listen. These children cannot read.
Teachers already face significant challenges in delivering the existing curriculum within the allotted time. Introducing an additional set of standards may not necessarily lead to improved student outcomes; instead, it could potentially dilute the depth of other essential lessons unless some existing standards are reevaluated and possibly removed. Nevertheless, I do believe that incorporating coding into computer classes and occasionally integrating it into cross-curricular projects would be a valuable addition.
Baby’s first coding project
Behold…my very first coding project! I must say, as incredibly basic as it is, I’m pretty damn proud of myself.
While learning the basics of code was beneficial and interesting, I don’t see myself needing these skills on a regular basis. My boyfriend has been trying to get me interested in this sort of thing for years, so helping me with this project was his dream come true.
My needs are simple and I can do what I need to do without coding. I’ll file this new knowledge under my Jeopardy trivia file.
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