The Ministry of National Education wants children to learn to program in primary schools. Proponents of learning programming for children say that it is an excellent exercise for the brain, allowing you to develop the ability to think effectively. Skeptics fear that this may have a negative impact on shaping interpersonal communication without the use of additional tools.

- Introducing children to the world of computer science is an extremely important mission, but it should take place in the right conditions and with the help of qualified people - says Maciej Aniserowicz, one of the most popular programming bloggers in Poland.

Why teach kids to program?

Computers are everywhere and the entire modern civilization is based on their operation. What is scary, however, is the complete lack of awareness of part of the society about the topics related to new technologies. This may change soon thanks to the new educational programs.

Most small children can use a tablet or a phone. Years will pass, and the ability to interact with technology will remain at the same, very basic level. In many cases, technological development is limited to learning to use more applications.

- IT education can show how programs work at an early stage. Make young people aware that inside the application there is code that someone wrote and that is why computers follow human commands, and their every reaction has been … programmed - says Maciej Aniserowicz.

The very process of typing code on the keyboard, following strict guidelines, is not difficult. Anyone who can write words in English is well on their way to programming to some extent. But it is the knowledge of the right tools that separates the "non-programmer" from the programmer early in his career. With time, it is time to learn best practices, read books and take the first steps with your own initiatives or projects. But this is at least one step further than learning to program for kids.

Advantages of learning programming

Learning programming should be understood not so much as learning to write code, but rather analytically and coolly looking at the problems we face.

Programming educates these skillslike:

  • pattern search,
  • logical thinking,
  • dealing with difficulties in a methodical way,
  • good work organization - this is the greatest science that will be useful today in almost every profession.

It is also no secret that the professional group of specialists in this field is constantly struggling with the shortage of candidates. And the IT industry has a lot to offer - starting from good earnings, to work in international teams, stable employment and access to the latest technology.

A little programmer can share knowledge with grandparents and parents

Families of "small programmers" may also have additional benefits. Generations of parents and grandparents, even those brought up in a world full of the Internet, know little about technology itself. And the children will surely transfer some of the knowledge acquired at school to their homes. Hopefully, this process will increase the overall understanding of the technology. Not only among the youngest.

Programming skills will soon be as important as knowledge of foreign languages ​​

Bringing coding lessons to schools and learning the subject widely should be the first challenge of a modern school.

Source: Newseria

Learning to program for kids also raises some doubts

There are also some risks associated with learning programming for children. Putting too much emphasis on logic, algorithms and looking for patterns in the surrounding life may overwhelm the youngest.

- Emotions are often underestimated in the development community. Some children will find it fine, while others, the more sensitive ones, will feel lost. That is why the balance between technology and soft objects is invariably important - says Maciej Aniserowicz.

Many parents are also not entirely convinced that their children should learn programming already in primary school. According to some, this is the best time to shape interpersonal communication without the use of additional tools. Real-world relationships are a collection of many signals that are lost when any technology is used. However, it all depends on good staff. Introducing children to the world of computer science is an extremely important mission and should be implemented by properly trained teachers. We also cannot ignore the quality of the materials that will be used for education. Before the introduction of the new computer science and programming curriculum, numerous consultations should take place among educators, psychologists and IT specialists.

It's youwill come in handy

Learning programming for everyone

Basic knowledge of how technology works would certainly be useful to anyone, but compulsory training can discourage people from learning. The solution may be to educate adults through wide-ranging social campaigns, not compulsory listening to lectures. Properly prepared and free materials, easily accessible to every Kowalski, are the key to success. Then, for sure, many people will be very eager to learn more about technology, programming and "how it all works".

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