Coding For Education (Computer Science As A Second Language)

Coding is becoming a more important aspect of our lives the further and further we come. Kids today are playing with different devices right out of the womb. With the importance, impact and career opportunities that technology has, don’t you think we should learn the brains of the products that we have become so connected to?

4 weeks back The Senate Education Committee proposed a bill that would allow students the chance to take coding as a second language. Several states are moving forward to make computer science more accessible to students.

With the internet there are several different ways to learn different languages such as Code.org and codeacademy.com. They are great tools but do not really give you the fundamental elements of computer science. Senator David Givens’ said that by the time students have the opportunity to take computer programming electives, they are close to graduating,distracted, and past the point of fully benefiting fully from the courses. He added that it offers flexibility for schools in addition to opening student opportunities.

By 2020, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting that nearly 800,000 computer jobs will be created. Over the next five years, the National Science Foundation is rolling out a program called “Exploring Computer Science.” This program will take a place next to AP computer science. This a prime example of how impactful and challenging learning a computer language can be.

President Barack Obama is even on the CS bandwagon urging young children to “Not just buy a new video game. Make one. Don’t just download the latest app. Help design it. Don’t just play on your phone. Program it. No one is born a computer scientist, but with a little hard work and some math and science, just about anyone can become one…..just give it a shot.”

More educators and government officials are starting to see the importance of computer science and the effects it can have on our future students. Getting students involved at a young age allows them to develop their computer, math, and science skills in new bold ways that the educators of yesterday couldn’t have imagined.  What do you think of coding as a second language? Would you like to still take a language as well as a CS course or is one or the other enough? Sound off in your comments below, and till next time stay glued to TechRaptor for all your tech and gaming needs!