As we use more and more digital technology, it is apparent that computer coding is an essential skill for anyone who creates digital products and resources. So, higher priority is being given to the subject.
A number of state legislatures, including Kentucky, Florida, Texas and New Mexico, have considered bills that would allow students to take computer programming classes in lieu of a foreign language. The theory is that in order to engage in the digital world, one should read and write that language.
To help students get started, many classes and tutorials are offered online. Bill Gates, President Obama, Mark Zuckerberg and other luminaries, for example, appear in a video to promote the “Hour of Code” program by the nonprofit code.org. It contains videos and tasks for beginners as well as more experienced coders.
The idea is that coding competence will turn students into creators, as well as consumers, of digital technology. On code.org, Zuckerberg said he can help anyone program an angry bird to attack a pig by simply dragging and dropping jigsaw-shaped pieces of code.
