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Why should kids learn to code? Coding for kids has been trending for a while now and like all trends this too has received a lot of criticism and backlash. With the general belief that combining technology with education is great until it’s not, the concept of introducing coding to kids at a young age has been under scrutiny. People are once again apprehensive about children exposed to excessive technology at a young age.
The domain of edtech however advocates that the earlier children learn to code, the better is this chance of success. But why is coding important for the future? Take a look at how the world is progressing. We are part of a digital era wherein coding is an extremely important skill. As computers have taken over almost every aspect of life, the need for good and efficient coders is imperative. There is a continuous increase in the number of businesses that require computer code; aside from the technology sector as well. Coding therefore becomes a basic literacy in contemporary society, providing an opportunity for kids to understand and innovate with the technology that surrounds them. Thus, employment becomes one of the most prominent reasons why children should learn to code at an early age.
But employment opportunities are not the sole reason to introduce children to the world of coding or why coding is important. There are many more benefits of coding education.
- Creativity
The importance of coding starts with the activity itself. Coding though is a logic based activity, it allows for an ample amount of self-expression. With the chance to design something truly their own, it empowers children to not only engage in technology and the digital forum but create it. Instead of simply playing a video game or using an app, they now have the chance to make one from scratch! Children are able to learn that they have the ability to create anything from nothing if they use a little bit of creativity. This not only fosters progress but also overall improvement in the quality of their lives.
The importance of coding starts with the activity itself. Coding though is a logic based activity, it allows for an ample amount of self-expression. With the chance to design something truly their own, it empowers children to not only engage in technology and the digital forum but create it. Instead of simply playing a video game or using an app, they now have the chance to make one from scratch! Children are able to learn that they have the ability to create anything from nothing if they use a little bit of creativity. This not only fosters progress but also overall improvement in the quality of their lives.
- Life Skills
In mainstream perception, coding becomes a part of academics but it’s important to note that it is a holistic activity that inculcates different life skills from confidence and persistence to problem solving and communication.
Coding is considered to be a behemoth task to undertake despite being relatively doable and so learning the basics at a young age gives children a feeling of confidence and sense of achievement. While learning to code they may come across certain impediments but they soon learn that there is no single way of doing something and acquire the skill of problem solving along with a persistent determination to do so.
Communication, considered to be one of the tenets of success is also learnt through coding. Coding allows the breakdown and arrangement of complicated ideas in a way that computers understand. Coding classes for children thereby fosters clear and concise communication.
- Another Language
Learning to code gives you the benefits of learning another language as it involves the process of learning the language’s vocabulary and grammar. By teaching computer programming to kids, they also learn how to communicate their ideas and intentions through this digital language. This increases brain power and memory plus the children’s ability to multitask. When children are exposed to coding at a young age they tend to understand the world around them better through multiple perspectives.
- Academics
With an inherent link to maths, coding helps show children the practical applications of the subject and visualize abstract concepts while making the process enjoyable. It can even convert all the math-haters to the other side by realising the importance of math as coding statements usually contain mathematical expressions. Coding can also lead to better writing skills as it helps the young coders plan and organise their thoughts. Since the process has a definitive beginning, middle and end; like a story, it helps in structuring narratives and creative writing. Coding subjects in school have also been correlated to better academic performance.
- Styles of Thinking
Computer programming isn’t just typing lines of code. Coding teaches children how to think differently. Logical thinking is a must if children want to effectively code a programme. When they see a problem they need to be able to break it down into parts i.e decomposition. This is a crucial element of computational thinking. When kids learn to code, they learn to use abstraction and pattern recognition to find new solutions to problems in a data driven way. Children also learn structural and algorithmic thinking. Computational thinking is deductive while structural thinking is inductive. Using the two, children are able to define clear steps to finding a solution. Since coding involves a lot of algorithms, children tend to use them all the time- even without their knowledge. Algorithmic thinking involves solving problems using specific steps via mathematical expressions.
The aforementioned are a couple of reasons as to why coding should be an essential part of learning and why coding is important for kids. Another important consideration is that it’s fun learning. It’s an educational activity made enjoyable. Teaching your kids to code at a young age prepares them for the future and the best part is that they will love it. But in order to avail the benefits discussed it’s imperative to understand which method of teaching coding is most suitable. When taught solely through computers, the criticisms against coding at a young age hold good. It’s an unnecessary increase in screen time, children develop a lack of social skills and learning no longer becomes holistic. Coding through robotics however promotes the experiential learning we’ve just looked at. It involves hands-on engagement with continuous tinkering and making.
The backlash against coding for kids does have some points to its merit but when coding is learnt through robotics, those points all begin to dissipate. So now that children can be given a wholesome all-round learning experience while having fun then why not learn coding early?
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