seb-thomas · August 29, 2015 13:56
diff --git a/Why 'code' is important b/Why 'code' is important
 I've just been catching up on the news of @Lottiedexter 's appearance on News Night. 
 Source: http://politicalscrapbook.net/2014/02/tory-boss-of-government-coding-education-initiative-cant-code-lottie-dexter/

 Say what you will about her lack of ability to code, my greatest concern with her appearance is her definition of why it's important for children to learn to code.

 Dexter answers that in the future the children of today will be able to code their own e-cards (I think) and websites to create their own online businesses. Fine. But that is by far not all. 

 Even as recently as ten years ago it wasn't a prerequisite for most business employess to know how to use a word processor, now it's vital. You don't have to know how to code a word processor, but clearly things have moved very quickly and an intimate knowledge of these tools will only become more important.
 These tools help us deal with large amounts of information, more efficiently (we hope). Code isn't just limited to building websites, though they are a common application of coding skills. Being able to effectively use the command line (like DOS, if you remember that) allows coders to quickly manipulate and organise huge amounts of data.

 But to compare to Jeremy's light bulb analogy: Many people in the past may well have been illiterate, but now it's almost inconceivable that a person living in the modern world could not read or write. The internet, software, computers and their language - coding - will be _that_ important in our children's future, we cannot underestimate it. If our aim is to further technology and be at the forefront of that advance, we must nuture these skills. 

 Like all skills, not everyone will get it, but those who do will get ahead and we must begin now in instilling that knowledge in young people's minds.
	I've just been catching up on the news of @Lottiedexter 's appearance on News Night.
	Source: http://politicalscrapbook.net/2014/02/tory-boss-of-government-coding-education-initiative-cant-code-lottie-dexter/

	Say what you will about her lack of ability to code, my greatest concern with her appearance is her definition of why it's important for children to learn to code.

	Dexter answers that in the future the children of today will be able to code their own e-cards (I think) and websites to create their own online businesses. Fine. But that is by far not all.

	Even as recently as ten years ago it wasn't a prerequisite for most business employess to know how to use a word processor, now it's vital. You don't have to know how to code a word processor, but clearly things have moved very quickly and an intimate knowledge of these tools will only become more important.
	These tools help us deal with large amounts of information, more efficiently (we hope). Code isn't just limited to building websites, though they are a common application of coding skills. Being able to effectively use the command line (like DOS, if you remember that) allows coders to quickly manipulate and organise huge amounts of data.

	But to compare to Jeremy's light bulb analogy: Many people in the past may well have been illiterate, but now it's almost inconceivable that a person living in the modern world could not read or write. The internet, software, computers and their language - coding - will be _that_ important in our children's future, we cannot underestimate it. If our aim is to further technology and be at the forefront of that advance, we must nuture these skills.

	Like all skills, not everyone will get it, but those who do will get ahead and we must begin now in instilling that knowledge in young people's minds.