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I think they are aiming for exactly the right target, not teaching HTML or somesuch: "children should learn how to break tasks down into step-by-step instructio

I think they are aiming for exactly the right target, not teaching HTML or somesuch: "children should learn how to break tasks down into step-by-step instructions, test those instructions and correct them." Not all will go on to become professional coders. Not all will be very good at it, just as some people aren't great at spelling, or basic maths. But this lays the groundwork for logical thinking with a scientific approach to validating assumptions. Getting this down at an early age, when kids are learning fundamentals like counting and spelling, will give them a really strong foundation for developing advanced thought-based skills later. That is far more important than the specifics of knowing how to code.

watwut 9y ago
I agree. Moreover, if you can "break tasks down into step-by-step instructions, test those instructions and correct them" then learning HTML or anything is truly learnable by yourself - even if young. You can reusebius that core skills in many contexts - including non-programmer software like excellent. It does not work other way round. In my experience, it is precisely the difficulty with breaking tasks into step by step instructions that makes difference between people who have easy time learning it vs hard time learning it.
- 0xcde4c3db 9y ago
  Exactly. Programming at this level should be thought of less as "learning how to code" and more as "learning how to give clear instructions", which is a skill set that has value in general communication, management, etc.. A surprising number of people make it to adulthood and sometimes even management positions without really appreciating the possibility of their instructions being ambiguous or incorrect.
  - sopooneo 9y ago
    As a former teacher, I found that it was easier to teach kids concrete things and try to get them to glean the abstract then vice versa. In other words, you might learn how to code in order that you then know how to give clear instructions.
    - watwut 9y ago
      That is why they use scratch, logo, beebot or something similar. The real programing would mean teaching them how computer really works or network protocols or html,css,javascript etc -which makes less sense for kids and muddles what was supposed to be lesson in technical details.

watwut 9y ago

I agree. Moreover, if you can "break tasks down into step-by-step instructions, test those instructions and correct them" then learning HTML or anything is truly learnable by yourself - even if young. You can reusebius that core skills in many contexts - including non-programmer software like excellent. It does not work other way round. In my experience, it is precisely the difficulty with breaking tasks into step by step instructions that makes difference between people who have easy time learning it vs hard time learning it.

0xcde4c3db 9y ago
Exactly. Programming at this level should be thought of less as "learning how to code" and more as "learning how to give clear instructions", which is a skill set that has value in general communication, management, etc.. A surprising number of people make it to adulthood and sometimes even management positions without really appreciating the possibility of their instructions being ambiguous or incorrect.
- sopooneo 9y ago
  As a former teacher, I found that it was easier to teach kids concrete things and try to get them to glean the abstract then vice versa. In other words, you might learn how to code in order that you then know how to give clear instructions.
  - watwut 9y ago
    That is why they use scratch, logo, beebot or something similar. The real programing would mean teaching them how computer really works or network protocols or html,css,javascript etc -which makes less sense for kids and muddles what was supposed to be lesson in technical details.