Leaning coding (or programming languages) has becoming important part of curriculum worldwide. With rapid technological advancement, coding has become integral part in almost all occupations globally. It is part of all engineering and science courses. All major curriculum including US curriculum, British GCSE and IB curriculum, Indian CBSE and ICSE curriculum have adopted coding as mandatory subject from middle schools (Grade 5 and above).
Coding is a practical work, where you need to programming (write a computer program) to develop any of the above in school.
- Basic programming literacy
- Converting Flowchart and Pseudocode in working code
- Websites
- Mobile application
- Online games
- Data science and Artificial Intelligence
- Computer security
- Data structure and Algorithms
- Robotics
As you can see, coding has wide applications from creating mobile applications to working on Artificial Intelligence. It is must have skill of 21st century school.
In this article, we will introduce to the world of coding, and share why every kid should learn coding skills.
What are programming languages?
In order to make our applications (website, mobile apps, games, automation tools) work, we need to write a program which can interact with computer/mobile, and produce desired result.
For example-
- A website is a program which should work on browser. Program is written using different programming languages (like Php, Javascript frameworks, Ruby etc), and it is loaded into browser using HTTP (hypertext transfer protocol).
- A mobile application (on Android or iOS) is a program which needs to interact with respective operating system. It is downloaded on mobile, and it work as compatibility with Android operating system or iOS operating system.
Likewise, any program we write using programming language, it is supposed to be used by a set of tool, from where it can perform its required function.
How to learn coding as a kid
As a kid, you need to start from basic to learn coding (or programming language).
Before you start writing code, you need to start working on developing logical flow of the program. This means what is purpose of your code, and what is expected output if you execute it.
As a kid, you need to start with basic drag and drop tools like Scratch to understand how the program flow happens. You also need to learn Pseudo code and flowchart to start writing the higher level flow of coding project. Once you are clear with these, you can start proper programming languages and tools like Python, HTML, Java script etc.
Why should kids learn to code?
There is only one answer to this- in future (education or work), people are more likely to work using computer and programming languages than ever before. Manual or repetitive work will get automated and will be solved using machines and programs.
For example- what is common between Tiktok, website and minecraft? From games to animation to websites, we need programs which can run on our laptops and mobiles.
Coding helps in improving problem solving abilities through critical thinking and logical design. A person with coding skills is a problem solver. Coding also help in creativity too, and we often kids need to work on designs- be it games, websites or other programs. It is due to critical thinking and creativity, that coding is also one of the popular and fun subjects among kids.
Other benefits of learning programming
Soft Skill Development
Coding is often a team work. A computer program is often is a work of group of people who take care of different part of the project. A smooth communication skill is necessary for a group project to succeed. Hence, coding projects help kids to learn on how to behave in a group, how to work as a team, and how to pass on communication among one another. There are five main soft skills that coding helps to build. These include communication, problem solving, creativity, perseverance, and teamwork. Along with learning how to code, kids become more confident, thoughtful, and productive adults!
Everyday Life Skills
As mentioned above, coding developing key life skills including problem solving and result oriented mindset and creativity. It also helps to develop skills like determination, courage, and the ability to place things in context. Along with this, coding also has good usage of maths. For example- Data science, robotics and automation have lot of usage of data statistics, which will help kids in their core subject too.
Preparation for Future Economy
Coding is not only future, but also present career. There are more jobs being created in IT and software development than any other globally. All manual and routine tasks are now being handled by machines or robots. It is have widespread usage in data science, biotechnology, medicine and healthcare, education and many other career areas. Coding jobs also have better pay scale than other career options.
Explore private 1:1 coding courses!
Are you looking for private coding classes? We, at Xamnation, are offering online tuitions for programming and coding. Students can start learning coding from as early as Grade 3 onwards. We have experienced teachers who conduct live classes on coding.
Visit our coding course online or reach us at info@xamnation.com for more information.
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