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The problem with relying on math for logic training, is that many (perhaps even most) students find mathematical concepts far too abstract and intangible to app

by bryans 5y ago

The problem with relying on math for logic training, is that many (perhaps even most) students find mathematical concepts far too abstract and intangible to apply those lessons to other situations. Coding, on the other hand, is basically just English and is easy to conceptualize: if this happens, then do this. It's not necessary to know the abstract concepts of the low level environment to be able to apply the high level logic patterns to real life situations. I personally think this makes coding far more effective at leveling up problem solving skills.

hiptobecubic 5y ago
"Coding is basically just English" is something people only seem to say after they have been coding for years.
- bryans 5y ago
  I've almost exclusively experienced and heard of coding being taught as plain English concepts (even in countries where English is not the primary language), so it's not exactly some rare commentary made only by coding elitists. The reality is that programming languages have historically been designed as left-to-right sequences of nouns, verbs and adjectives, in a way that mimics the sentence organization of English. Certain words may be replaced with special characters, but it still reads the same.
  - Tostino 5y ago
    I think that is a very reductionist view of the decisions that go into creating programming languages just to make your point.
    - bryans 5y ago
      Quite an absurd misinterpretation of what I said. The only point I made was that the mimicry of spoken language is what gives context to allow us to learn problem solving more easily. Nobody is trying to go into the intricacies of how programming languages are developed, because that's not the point of the conversation. But thank you for acting like a classic HN elitist who thinks that pedantry for the sake of pedantry is more important than anything else in the world.
zozbot234 5y ago
> Coding, on the other hand, is basically just English This is not a very meaningful or accurate statement. Perhaps one can better rephrase it as "coding is just logical reasoning", and it might turn out that exposing kids to coding does a better job of teaching logical reasoning than, e.g. the existing math curriculum.
- bryans 5y ago
  As I mentioned in another comment, programming languages have historically been designed as left-to-right sequences of nouns, verbs and adjectives, in a way that mimics the sentence organization of English. Coding is very much a practice of thinking within the structures of the English language, and its this mimicry of a spoken language which provides the context to apply those logic lessons to real life. Otherwise, it's just more math, which we've already established does not (on its own) provide a solid enough foundation to develop problem solving skills for most people. That's the difference, and why it's both a meaningful and accurate statement.

by bryans 5y ago

hiptobecubic 5y ago

"Coding is basically just English" is something people only seem to say after they have been coding for years.

bryans 5y ago
I've almost exclusively experienced and heard of coding being taught as plain English concepts (even in countries where English is not the primary language), so it's not exactly some rare commentary made only by coding elitists. The reality is that programming languages have historically been designed as left-to-right sequences of nouns, verbs and adjectives, in a way that mimics the sentence organization of English. Certain words may be replaced with special characters, but it still reads the same.
- Tostino 5y ago
  I think that is a very reductionist view of the decisions that go into creating programming languages just to make your point.
  - bryans 5y ago
    Quite an absurd misinterpretation of what I said. The only point I made was that the mimicry of spoken language is what gives context to allow us to learn problem solving more easily. Nobody is trying to go into the intricacies of how programming languages are developed, because that's not the point of the conversation. But thank you for acting like a classic HN elitist who thinks that pedantry for the sake of pedantry is more important than anything else in the world.

zozbot234 5y ago

> Coding, on the other hand, is basically just English This is not a very meaningful or accurate statement. Perhaps one can better rephrase it as "coding is just logical reasoning", and it might turn out that exposing kids to coding does a better job of teaching logical reasoning than, e.g. the existing math curriculum.

bryans 5y ago
As I mentioned in another comment, programming languages have historically been designed as left-to-right sequences of nouns, verbs and adjectives, in a way that mimics the sentence organization of English. Coding is very much a practice of thinking within the structures of the English language, and its this mimicry of a spoken language which provides the context to apply those logic lessons to real life. Otherwise, it's just more math, which we've already established does not (on its own) provide a solid enough foundation to develop problem solving skills for most people. That's the difference, and why it's both a meaningful and accurate statement.