Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Learn to code!

There's been a growing realisation amongst educators that the previous decades' approach to ICT instruction has failed. Teaching children (or adults) to use application software like MS Word, Excel or PowerPoint is not teaching them how to use computers - it's just teaching them how to use applications. To learn how to really use the power of a computer you have to learn to program, or "code" as the Americans call it. The amazing success of the Raspberry Pi - a computer that costs $25 that schools can use to teach programming, has  shown that there is a strong demand for this.
   A new non-profit called code.org aims to encourage young and old alike to learn how to really use a computer. A motivational video that they've produced features Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Jack Dorsey and others encouraging everyone to "learn to code." As Steve Jobs said, "I think everybody in this country should learn how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.” 

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