Why should programming be part of
school curriculum?
I am not sure that programming should be a part of school
curriculum in general. The Scratch
interface, while it is defined as programming is merely an introduction into
the world of programming, in this writers opinion. “Arguably a full fledged programming lanvastly
differs from other novice-friendly visual
programming environments in that it
utilizes a user-friendly building block command structure, eliminating
debugging processes and the risk of syntax errors (Resnick et al. 2003; Maloney
et al. 2004).” (Kafia, Pepler, Chiu pg
8) supports the concept that Scratch is a programming language, however I am
drawn to the statement “eliminating debugging processes and the risk of syntax
errors.” The programming process is
complicated and Scratch simplifies it considerably, but Scratch has programming
BEHIND the programming. So to say that
Scratch is teaching programming is an overstatement. Scratch provides an introduction to programming
and is more accurately a ‘wizzy wig” editor, much as has Macromedia Dreamweaver
(web design programming) is when compared to HTML (the actual programming
language).
What are the barriers to implementing
programming in schools?
The number one challenge to implementation of any new curriculum
is always funding. Funding is necessary
for technology, staffing resources, and equipment. Although the article does not address this
issue. However, the concern that arises
from the article is their statistics on project production. According to their study, “There are various
peaks and valleys
to the bar graph, indicating that the
majority of interest in Scratch occurs from January through August and there is
less interest in the fall months between September and December.” (Kafia,
Peppler, Chiu pg 11) While they go on to provide potential reasons
for this project evolution it still evokes a hint of truth. In my experience, students are generally more
engaged in computer time during the winter months. While youth today are not as active outdoors
as they once were they still find reasons to gather outside a learning
environment and are less productive when the weather is pleasant. Additionally, Scratch is still a PC based
program which would require students to have access to either a desktop or
laptop computer and in the low income communities this would mean many students
would not have resources outside the classroom.
How can barriers to implementing
programming in schools be overcome?
I would defer to my previous answer,
FUNDING. If programming were to be
implemented with the appropriate amount of resources and there was community
support to enable students to practice those skills then there would be hope in
a low-income environment.
I agree that funding is always a huge obstacle when trying to convince "the powers that be" of the importance of implementing a new program. However, I think it is important that teachers understand the core subject skills students gain from even introductory programming.
ReplyDeleteI didn't think about it, but Scratch is a novice-interface. "Real" programming is a lot more advanced and difficult to master than Scratch. However, I believe an intro course that uses Scratch or some other type of progam would be beneficial. At my school, we have a class called Globaloria, where students use a programming software to create educational games. I'm not sure what the software is called, but it's more advanced than Scratch.
ReplyDeleteI agree that funding could be an issue in some schools, but the benefits to students are worth the money. Technology skills such as programming will give students the capabilities that they need in today's job market. If we don't give them those opportunities, we are doing them a disservice.
ReplyDeleteIt does seem that funding can often get in the way. It is important to further explore the low-cost opportunities (like Scratch) that are available. Sometimes good technology does come at a high cost, however.
ReplyDeleteFunding is the major obstacle I found in the way to implement programming in schools as well. I found that it probably couldn't be implemented in a traditional instructor and class way, so low cost would be the way to go until it becomes mainstream in the curriculum.
ReplyDeleteExcellent discussion of the benefits and cost of computer programming in schools!
ReplyDeleteI think educators and parents need to rethink the knowledge and skills we our children to gain through schooling. Then we need to rethink how we assess those concepts and skills. For example, do we want to assess students critical thinking and problem solving with a traditional term paper or through the ability to design a game.