Kids today are growing up in a world drastically different from the one we grew up in. In fact, each new generation is born into a world exponentially more advanced than the last.
While just a few decades ago we had to rely on huge, slow machines to solve programs, make calculations and handle data, today we all carry computers in our pockets that perform those tasks upwards of a million times a day. They are thousands of times faster and can perform a million additional tasks.
Our smartphones give us instantaneous access to almost all information that exists and let us communicate freely with every other device on the planet. This has changed our world beyond recognition.
Today, our world is run by the technology we have created. Every simple task — from a shopping trip to the simple act of opening the door of your car — involves the intervention of modern technology and the exchange of computer code.
Code is the language of modern technology
Modern technology works on computer code — the language that all our devices speak.
Computer code is how devices and programs communicate with each other and with us. It’s how they perform tasks, make decisions and control the world around us.
In other words, code is the language that runs the world.
Therefore, teaching kids to code is not just about securing future jobs: it’s about promoting a mindset of problem-solving and enabling them to understand the world around them.
Understanding the world
Learning to code should be a fundamental requirement in primary education, much like biology, mathematics and the various social sciences.
As we’ve already established that the modern world encompasses the technology that man has created, it is thus imperative that we help our children understand and master it.
By learning how things around us work, your kid will grow up with a better understanding of the world.
Problem-solving
Coding also helps your kids solve complex problems and promotes computational thinking. Computational thinking is how computer engineers solve problems.
It is a way of solving problems that combines mathematics, logic and computer algorithms to come up with solutions that can be effectively carried out.
This not only enables your kids to understand modern technology but also provides them with the mindset to solve problems in any discipline.
Securing careers
It can’t be sidelined that learning to code will prepare your kids for the bulk of future jobs.
With advancements in the fields of artificial intelligence and robotics, the day is not far when the majority of the workload will be automated.
Machine learning (a form of AI that enables machines to learn from trial error) makes it possible for scientists and programmers to teach machines to perform the most complex of tasks accurately and efficiently.
Soon, the jobs predominantly occupied by humans will be handed over to automated machines. With machine learning, these machines will be able to perform surgeries, predict the market, write books and drive vehicles among other things.
But building these machines would still require people who can write efficient computer code to program them. Being able to build and program such machines would be a relevant and desired skill.
Learning to code, therefore, is likely to ensure you have a secure career in the future.
But how do we teach a language we do not speak?
Like any human language, computer code is built on a framework, has a vocabulary and follows certain rules.
Learning to code is not hard at all. In fact, your kid can learn the basics in a couple of days. They might even begin writing simple programs in no time if they’re so inclined.
Engaging them, however, is no easy task.
Play and learn
Teaching your kids to write and understand computer code will most likely require you to look for coding camps and courses in your neighborhood, which employ creative ways to incorporate the basics of coding in everyday tasks and activities.
You may also look for such courses online. Most such ‘courses’ are crafted like games to help kids learn to code.
One such organization is Doodle Diaries, which offers a US-based STEAM (Science — Technology — Engineering — Art — Mathematics) curriculum for children aged 6 to 18 years old.
Based in New Delhi, Doodle Diaries strives to bring to the young generation a comprehensive knowledge of STEAM and other 21st century skills.
They teach young kids the basics of coding through the use of drag-and-drop blocks, custom-built games, art studios and other project-based learning models.
Apart from teaching kids the fundamentals of programming and code development, they also provide fun activities to educate them on complex topics like robotics, electronic circuits and 3D technology.
For more information, fill out the form here.
This article was originally published on Medium.