Do you think programming is only for older students? Anna Maria Cires explains why it's vital for younger students too.
What do you think is the right age for children to start programming? What would you say if I told you that children can start programming from the age of five or even four? Sounds interesting, doesn't it?;
But first, let's look at what programming itself is. "Programming is the process of creating a set of instructions that tell a computer how to perform a task." To communicate with a computer, there are various programming languages, which are used to implement algorithms so that the computer gives us solutions as a result. These solutions can be computer software, a mobile application, or even a video game.
When teaching programming to a 5-year-old child, the goal is not to expect them to create complex programs, but to begin a journey into the world of coding through basic concepts, such as serial execution (sequence), algorithms, decomposition, etc.
According to Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget and his theory of cognitive development, children at the age of five are in the precognitive stage, where they begin to understand the world through the use of mental representations, words, and images. Based on this, even if children cannot read or write well, they can start with unplugged coding activities and then move on to visual programming languages, where code is created from blocks.
Source: https://www.kinvert.com/block-coding-ultimate-guide-visual-programming/
Below are the 5 most important reasons why it is important for children to learn programming from an early age:
1. Programming teaches children how to think
The first thing that comes to mind when we talk about programming is writing lines of code, but it's not just that. This is a great opportunity for children to show how they can think differently.
Coding requires effective use of logical thinking and the ability to identify and analyze large problems, breaking them down into smaller pieces so that they can be solved one by one. The process of breaking a larger problem down into simple steps is called decomposition and allows for the development of computational thinking.
2. Planning helps build resilience and confidence
Programming gives one the ability to learn from failure, to realize that failure is not a bad thing and that it can also bring positive results. It acts as a good opportunity for learning.
Children will learn that the process of debugging code can even be fun. As they fail and try again, they can learn from their mistakes until they achieve the result they are looking for. In this way, observing progress builds confidence and develops motivation.
3. Programming cultivates creativity
Programming is, fundamentally, a very creative process, as children start from scratch and end up with a result. Like cooking or painting, programming encourages them to enjoy the process.
The virtual world offers unlimited possibilities for creating anything a child desires, limited only by their imagination. Imagination is constantly developing as children connect existing ideas with new solutions and concepts.
In this way, they become creative thinkers and discover what they can do, apply, and experiment with next.
4. Programming develops problem-solving skills and activates computational thinking
Creating algorithms and writing code can be quite demanding processes. It is precisely these demanding situations, such as fixing bugs and trying to get programs to work, that provide opportunities to develop problem-solving and computational thinking skills.
Problem-solving techniques can be transferred to a wide range of other fields. For example, by formulating hypotheses, a scientist can also solve problems and then test those hypotheses one by one in order to prove them.
The same thing happens in programming, when a programmer checks one element at a time to see which one will solve the problem.
5. Programming promotes active learning
Active learning methods allow children to gain knowledge and experience through exploration. These methods involve active participation, focusing the learning process on the student and not just on a passive exercise.
In some visual programming languages, for example, to make characters move or jump, they need to create a program using arrows. For these types of tasks, children don't need much prior explanation. They just sit down and start building the program intuitively.
Programming is the language of the future and children learn and develop a wide range of skills that can bring them success, even if they do not choose the path of IT.
This review is based on an article by AM Cires from ISN Education, freely available in Greek. The original text is available at:
https://isn.education/articles/open/five-reasons-why-programming-is-important-for-young-ages/
