Technology

Calling All Coders

/ lymanmar / 1 Comment

What Exactly is Coding?

From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKIu9yen5nc

Coding in Schools

Popular opinion is clear: we need coding in our schools. It is seen as an essential skill for 21st century learners according to Marianne Stenger from InformED. Stenger also mentions that it allows students to gain a better understanding of technology and its impact on our world. Matthew Lynch from The Edvocate suggests that students will develop an appreciation for what can be built with technology after being introduced to coding.

Learning Resources narrows down the importance of coding to five reasons:

  1. Another language
  2. Fosters creativity
  3. Helps with math skills
  4. Improves writing academic performance
  5. Helps create confident problem solvers

While there is overwhelming support for teaching coding in schools, there is some resistance. Ben Tarnoff from The Guardian suggests there isn’t actually a need for more coders. Tarnoff also mentions that this increase in coders would force wages down for this profession and would create a source of cheap labor for the tech industry. Joe Morgan from Slate, a developer himself, does not support the teaching of coding. Instead, Morgan encourages teaching problem solving skills, celebrating creativity, and embracing curiosity. Although I can see Tarnoff and Morgan’s points, their thinking is in the minority.

Resources for Teachers

Take a look at a small sample of the many resources available to help get started introducing coding into your classroom!

No Coding For Me 😦

Personally, I have never had any formal coding instruction, and this week’s assignment was my first time ever experimenting with code. I really wish I would have had some exposure to coding prior to now because it really does feel like a whole new, unfamiliar world to me. But, by taking advantage of some of the resources above, I hope to change that!

HTML Remix

/ lymanmar / 2 Comments
Close up of fingers typing on keyboard.
“I’m Typing” by pirate johnny is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Take a look at my remixed back-to-school postcard!

I definitely started off this week’s reading feeling a little intimidated. As much as I am interested in technology, the coding/back end of the technology world is very familiar to me. I have never had any experience coding myself. But, I have heard others (my husband and some of my students) talk about coding, so I did eventually recognize some of the terms I ended up reading about.

Playing around with coding via Thimble was definitely helpful. The tutorial Thimble included provided a nice safety net. I definitely felt comfortable taking risks because that tutorial was there along with the undo button.

Because I am a Language Arts teacher, I can’t really see myself incorporating coding or Mozilla Thimble into my classroom. I do think that being familiar with coding and Mozilla Thimble will allow me to better connect with my students though. I feel like now I might be able to hold a conversation with some students who are interested in coding as opposed to being unable to contribute because I was so unfamiliar with the concept.

I definitely think this was a valuable experience!