Coding for children

GS Paper III - Education (PT-Mains)

Education is one of the most important topics of the UPSC Examination 2021. Every year in Prelims, Mains and Essay Education is being asked. Hence it is one of a highly important topics.
The New Education Policy allows students to choose to code from class 6th onwards.

What is Coding?

Computers have their own language called programming language which tells them what to do. Coding is the process of using a programming language to get a computer to behave how you want it to.
In a broader sense, it is the process of designing and building an executable computer program to accomplish a specific computing result or to perform a specific task.

Benefits of Coding at an early stage

Leaders of technology companies around the world have pushed for coding to be included as a subject in middle or higher secondary school for students who may be interested to learn.
In 2018, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates wrote in a blog post that everyone could benefit from learning the basics of computer science.
The idea was to make coding as simple and accessible as the new age “mother tongue” for young children.
It fosters creativity. By experimenting, children learn and strengthen their creativity. It enhances their problem-solving capability.
It helps children to be able to visualize abstract concepts, lets them apply math to real-world situations, and makes math fun and creative. Coding is present in many of today’s STEM programs.
Children who learn to code understand how to plan and organize thoughts. This can lead to better writing skills that can be built upon as coding skills develop over time.

Criticisms of early age coding

A metaphor that is often used is that children are being made to ride a bicycle before they have even learned to walk.
There’s a reason why in mathematics addition is taught first, then subtraction, then multiplication, and then division.
It is necessary to learn several elements of mathematics and logical thinking before one can code.

Source: TH