Lately, the internet has been abuzz with the recent “Hour of Code” campaign. For those unaware, this is a campaign that aims to introduce people (largely children), to the world of programming in order to “jump-start their futures”. The campaign features well-renowned programmers such as Ashton Kutcher, Shakira, and Barack Obama. Now I’m not attempting make light of Obama’s apparent bubble sort knowledge, but it just feels far too superficial. Additionally, I’m not necessarily saying that these individuals don’t know or can’t learn how to program, but all of these campaigns over years have been the same. You grab a few celebrities who quite obviously aren’t interested in this sort of thing and try to sell it to the audience. It’s quite painful for me to watch.
A while back, Jeff Atwood wrote a nice articleon a subject very similar regarding CodeAcademy’s New Year’s resolution “Code Year”. That article is directly applicable to this situation as well for the most part.
Initially as a programmer, it’s easy to assume everybody should learn to code. After all, it’d make the world a better place right? Surely programming must be an essential skill set at this point that everybody should have?
No. It’s a valuable skill set, but not a truly essential one.
The real value of programming
Programming is many things, but at the end of the day it boils down to solving problems. It’s not about memorizing syntax and bashing out code, there’s a thought process behind it. Truly learning to program will give you insight on a whole new way to analyze and solve problems. In the process of learning to code, you will in turn gain a better understanding and respect for the various levels of technology upon which you are working with. It could help you more easily debug a problem you are having with say your computer or smart phone. Relatively mundane tasks can be simplified in day to day situations with just a little bit of programming knowledge.
While I can understand the thought process behind teaching everybody how to program, I am not convinced that it is necessary. I think schools shouldn’t necessarily be focusing on teaching children to program, but rather teach them some general computer/internet concepts (typing classes do not count). That would be far more valuable to the average person compared to teaching them what a while loop is.
Growing up, I didn’t have any school courses that pertained to programming (or computers at all) although I was very interested in the subject. Had they been offered, I would’ve immediately signed up.
If you have even the slightest interest in learning to code, do it. You will need to have patience and be persistent about it. It’s not something that happens overnight. If you really feel as though it’s not for you, that very well may be the case. However, if it is something that are genuinely interested in, here are a few tips:
- Be patient. Trial and error can be the best instructor at times
- Try to work on something you are truly passionate about
- Don’t obsess over the language, framework, or platform
- Google is your friend, but don’t become too dependent
Programming is not for everybody. Don’t force people, especially children, to learn to code. If you don’t have a passion to code, it will be a long and strenuous process. By forcing them to learn it, it could very well turn them off from it entirely. Let them be exposed to it on their own volition by providing the necessary tools and guidance should they be interested.