President Obama calls on every American to learn to code #CSedWeek
December 9, 2013 at 1:49 pm 3 comments
Pretty amazing that they got this!
Entry filed under: Uncategorized. Tags: Code.org, computing for everyone, CSEd Week, public policy.
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Computing Ed Research - Guzdial's Take 
1.
alanone1 | December 9, 2013 at 2:08 pm
If only “coding” had something central to do with computing!
2.
lizaloop | December 10, 2013 at 1:47 pm
Well, writing code for one’s future job is a good message but not the most important, IMHO. The real pay off is that by writing a little computer code one gets a visceral experience of how passive the computer really is. It brings home the idea of “garbage in, garbage out” because the coder actually puts the garbage in. It inoculates the public against service providers’ claims that the computer is the reason you can’t get what you want because the computer won’t let the provider offer the service. S.M.O.P. folks! It’s a small matter of programming. The experience of coding drives home the concept that coding isn’t the basis of problem solving, properly stating the problem and then analyzing it comes first. And that is done by people, not machines.
Obama got it wrong. Not everyone can or should become a computer scientist. But everyone will have to become a wise consumer of computer-delivered services. Unless we become a smart, computer-literate electorate we will find ourselves victims of the tyranny of the people behind the machine. That’s why we need everyone to learn to code – just enough to understand the benefits and threats of this ubiquitous technology.
3.
Alex Coleman | December 11, 2013 at 2:29 pm
It’s great to see coding getting this much mainstream attention. It’s one of, if not, the most in-demand professions right now. Learning to code can really strengthen your overall problem-solving skills, as it teaches you how to break down seemingly insurmountable problems into actionable steps. Those are valuable skills for *anyone* to possess.
I’m very passionate about doing my part and helping others learn to code. For anyone who’s interested in learning to code, I’m currently writing a book, “Your First Web App” — http://www.alexpcoleman.com/your-first-web-app/ — that contains a step-by-step guide to help you learn to code and build your very own, first web app, no matter what your current technical skill level. Hopefully it will help those interested in getting into the exciting world of coding!