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We are living in a world dominated by programming. Our phone calls go through computer-controlled networks, televisions are connected to the internet, people have stopped using maps to navigate the web, and we can buy anything, at any time, in an online store.

It is evident that the world is moving toward the digital era, probably our children’s houses will operate with remote control and cars will drive themselves, and yet are we teaching our boys and girls to master programming codes?

Coding: the “new literacy”

Programming is the language of our world. In the future, not knowing the language of computers will be like being illiterate. That is why it is essential that today’s boys and girls learn to program and this is a challenge that the current educational system must take on.

Teaching coding language or programming is offering them the opportunity to tell a computer, app, phone, or website what you want it to do for you. Some educators or experts call it “the new literacy”, a subject so important that each child should have the basic knowledge to be able to adapt to the vertiginous changes that we are subjected to today.

And that does not mean that we have to train the next generations to work as programming engineers. It is about promoting computational thinking to solve problems and teaching a new way of thinking, based on the computer model that teaches you how to deal with big problems by breaking them down into a sequence of smaller and more manageable problems.

Coding is a skill that everyone should learn, and it would help children to master technologies of all kinds, and solve problems in almost any discipline.

Why should children learn to code?

Knowing how to program is like knowing the language of the digital age, especially for the younger generations. For example, with apps like Scratch Jr, starting at the age of five, they learn coding skills as they program stories and games. In this regard, the Tynker portal, dedicated to coding for children, exposes the reasons why children should learn programming.

The first is that the world is different. We are surrounded by smartphones, laptops, and social networks, streaming video applications. They will grow up learning how to use this technology, but that does not mean that they understand the logic behind it. With coding, they can understand how to control technology to become an active part of the digital transformation.

The second reason is that with proper knowledge of coding, we can turn ideas into reality. In this digital age, each idea for a fresh business or a new solution goes through a user interface, software, or application. If students learn how to code, they can renovate other people’s ideas and their own, into something concrete.

Lastly, programming is not as difficult as we might imagine. When they learn, they observe that this knowledge has an immediate application on what is being done: if a student programs an object so that it moves in a certain way and the result is what he wanted, he will understand that he has manipulated the code correctly. All this flow makes coding a powerful educational tool.

What are the advantages of learning to program?

Programming refers to the collection of opportunities available for children to engage in coding. While it may be difficult to imagine a young mind learning something so seemingly complex, it is definitely an achievable reality thanks to the proliferation of the many coding summer camps, programs, websites, and toys that make learning to code fun. You have to be clear about these 9 reasons to learn to code.

Coding is the definition of how we communicate with computers. We use new technologies to build and run websites, applications, video games, etc. We are living the statistics of STEAM education in 2018. 2.4 million STEAM jobs will be left vacant. 71% of all new STEAM jobs are in computing, but only 8% of STEAM graduates are in computing. It is important?

One of the qualities that knowing how to code and program enhances is increased creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, and other qualities that improve the capacities of young people.

We present the 9 reasons to learn to code

1. Programmers are in high demand

The new STEAM jobs are in computing, yet only 8% of STEAM graduates are in computing. Learning to code will increase your child’s chances of getting a lucrative STEAM career, especially in a world where IT jobs are growing at more than twice the national average.

2. Coding provides a competitive advantage

The ability to encode will appear more desirable to the outside eye. They will have more capacity to solve problems and have a better future projection.

3. Programming knowledge

Students better understand the world around them. Most of us don’t know at first glance what makes our smartphones, laptops, social media, and video games tick. Basic programming knowledge can change the way we interact with the technologies we use.

4. Programming is fun and satisfying.

While programming is based on logic, it is also an extremely creative activity. For many, the appeal of coding is the challenge and the reward.

5. Coding improves creativity

When we learn a language, we use it to express ourselves, same with code. Encryption enables children not only to consume digital media and technology but also to create them. Instead of just playing a video game or using an application, you can imagine creating your own video game, or imagine what your own website or application would look like.

6. Coding improves problem-solving

They learn what it is like to approach a problem as a software engineer does, with logical and computational thinking.

7. Coding improves persistence

Learning to code is challenging. Coding teaches the valuable skill of persistence in the face of challenges. Learning how to solve problems and seek solutions through research and collaboration, in educational robotics, creates this highly desirable skill.

8. Coding improves collaboration

The children get together and learn how to collaborate with all kinds of peers, all united by a common interest in technology. They learn by asking questions and working to solve problems and create things together. Many games, like Minecraft, also offer a host of educational benefits because they also involve coding, collaboration, and participation.

9. Encryption improves communication

Communication is essential in school, work, and life. When young people learn to code, they learn how to communicate in public. As mentioned, coding teaches how to break down complex ideas and organize them in a way that computers can understand them.

All this set of benefits in learning to code at an early age will help children to gain benefits at the level of thinking, processing, and communication. Skills that will later help you be innovative in any profession.

In addition, learning to code is synonymous with fun. The little ones will be able to program their own games and this is, without a doubt, one of the best incentives to introduce our boys and girls to this new world.

How and where does a parent get their child started with Coding?

Many institutes and schools have a variety of STEM and robotics programs for children of all ages. They start from getting them introduced to honing their talent and developing world-class engineers. Browse through one of our programs at ICE Robotics and get started by sending your child to an after-school camp, weekend camp or camps during summer, winter or march breaks.