By Kim Ji-myung
"Computer code is not a cryptic activity reserved for geniuses and oracles. In fact, in a few minutes you will be writing some computer code yourself!"
This is the first sentence in Wiley's "Coding for Dummies." I bought the book instead of "Coding for Kids" which looked more difficult to understand against my expectations.
But what an analog and anachronic approach this is. Let me tell you the shortcut I found to get into the world of coding.
Coding, the knowledge and skill of software and extensive use of codes in almost all parts of our lives may stay with us for good. Already in 2011, Marc Andreessen who started Netscape Navigator, said "software is eating the world."
To do anything with a computer, you must first install software, which is powered by code. In today's tech-driven world, computer knowledge and skills have become as essential for students as reading, writing and arithmetic.
Just several years ago, a Korean university received government funding for experimental coding education that all freshmen were required to take. At that time, "software coding" was jargon which people began to discuss in the media. Since then, the education authorities have announced plans to adopt some curriculum on coding from other countries. And now, coding class will be a compulsory course at all school levels.
It is natural that there are not enough teachers and college professors who have the experience and ability to teach software coding. Most of them will find acquiring new subjects to teach difficult and cumbersome.
Parents get the factoid that in the private tutoring market at hagwons, competent and better-skilled, sometimes foreign-educated computer engineers run elite coding classes for kids. It is hard to believe, but a few famous private coding classes for kindergarten and elementary children charge three million won (US$ 2,500) per month.
My search of YouTube in Korean found 1,870,000 video clips on "code" and 25,900 clips on "coding education." Many serialized free lessons talk about coding algorithms, Arduino lessons and diverse topics using lots of jargon.
On the other hand, there are also counter-promotional clips warning, "Mothers! Don't teach kids algorithms. They're no help for their life!"
Coding education may mean a hopeful chance for education reform by providing fair opportunities to all, thanks to the open and linked internet environment.
According to a New York Times report, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, strongly urged President Trump that the U.S. government should help make sure students learn computer programming.
He said coding should be a requirement in every public school, and it will help solve a "huge deficit in skills." He had in mind the heavy dependence on foreign workers in the IT industry against the strong anti-immigration policy of President Trump.
The story of Code.org's initiatives hints at a desirable role of companies for the public good. Code.org is a nonprofit group, aiming at getting every American public school to teach computer science.
It was founded in 2012 by Hadi Partovi and his brother, investors in Facebook, Airbnb, Zappos and Dropbox. In a few short years, Code.org has raised more than US$ 60 million from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and Salesforce, along with individual tech executives and foundations.
Partovi said two dozen states were persuaded to change their education policies and laws. Code.org created free introductory coding lessons, called Hour of Code, which more than 100 million students worldwide have tried.
Code.org is now one of the largest providers of free online coding lessons and more comprehensive computer science curriculums. More than 57,000 teachers have joined in the training workshops offered by Code.org, according to Partovi.
The rise of Code.org coincides with a larger tech-industry push to reform American schools with computers and learning apps, a market estimated to reach $21 billion by 2020.
I would strongly recommend readers to visit Code.org. I did and found it very worthwhile to try. Learning the basics of coding will enable us to keep abreast of the world, and communicate with the youngsters. Knowledge of coding will be the grammar of the future language of the world.
The writer is the chairperson of the Korea Heritage Education Institute (K*Heritage). Her email address is Heritagekorea21@gmail.com.
.jpg/dims/resize/740/optimize) |
This is the first sentence in Wiley's "Coding for Dummies." I bought the book instead of "Coding for Kids" which looked more difficult to understand against my expectations.
But what an analog and anachronic approach this is. Let me tell you the shortcut I found to get into the world of coding.
Coding, the knowledge and skill of software and extensive use of codes in almost all parts of our lives may stay with us for good. Already in 2011, Marc Andreessen who started Netscape Navigator, said "software is eating the world."
To do anything with a computer, you must first install software, which is powered by code. In today's tech-driven world, computer knowledge and skills have become as essential for students as reading, writing and arithmetic.
Just several years ago, a Korean university received government funding for experimental coding education that all freshmen were required to take. At that time, "software coding" was jargon which people began to discuss in the media. Since then, the education authorities have announced plans to adopt some curriculum on coding from other countries. And now, coding class will be a compulsory course at all school levels.
It is natural that there are not enough teachers and college professors who have the experience and ability to teach software coding. Most of them will find acquiring new subjects to teach difficult and cumbersome.
Parents get the factoid that in the private tutoring market at hagwons, competent and better-skilled, sometimes foreign-educated computer engineers run elite coding classes for kids. It is hard to believe, but a few famous private coding classes for kindergarten and elementary children charge three million won (US$ 2,500) per month.
My search of YouTube in Korean found 1,870,000 video clips on "code" and 25,900 clips on "coding education." Many serialized free lessons talk about coding algorithms, Arduino lessons and diverse topics using lots of jargon.
On the other hand, there are also counter-promotional clips warning, "Mothers! Don't teach kids algorithms. They're no help for their life!"
Coding education may mean a hopeful chance for education reform by providing fair opportunities to all, thanks to the open and linked internet environment.
According to a New York Times report, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, strongly urged President Trump that the U.S. government should help make sure students learn computer programming.
He said coding should be a requirement in every public school, and it will help solve a "huge deficit in skills." He had in mind the heavy dependence on foreign workers in the IT industry against the strong anti-immigration policy of President Trump.
The story of Code.org's initiatives hints at a desirable role of companies for the public good. Code.org is a nonprofit group, aiming at getting every American public school to teach computer science.
It was founded in 2012 by Hadi Partovi and his brother, investors in Facebook, Airbnb, Zappos and Dropbox. In a few short years, Code.org has raised more than US$ 60 million from Microsoft, Facebook, Google, and Salesforce, along with individual tech executives and foundations.
Partovi said two dozen states were persuaded to change their education policies and laws. Code.org created free introductory coding lessons, called Hour of Code, which more than 100 million students worldwide have tried.
Code.org is now one of the largest providers of free online coding lessons and more comprehensive computer science curriculums. More than 57,000 teachers have joined in the training workshops offered by Code.org, according to Partovi.
The rise of Code.org coincides with a larger tech-industry push to reform American schools with computers and learning apps, a market estimated to reach $21 billion by 2020.
I would strongly recommend readers to visit Code.org. I did and found it very worthwhile to try. Learning the basics of coding will enable us to keep abreast of the world, and communicate with the youngsters. Knowledge of coding will be the grammar of the future language of the world.
The writer is the chairperson of the Korea Heritage Education Institute (K*Heritage). Her email address is Heritagekorea21@gmail.com.
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