A CNN opinion article by Douglas Rushkoff went into the highlights of his speech to Congress during Computer Science Education Week. Here are some of my favorite points he made:
2. Programming a computer is not like being the mechanic of an automobile. We’re not looking at the difference between a mechanic and a driver, but between a driver and a passenger. If you don’t know how to drive the car, you are forever dependent on your driver to take you where you want to go. You’re even dependent on that driver to tell you when a place exists.
4. “Computer class” can’t be about teaching kids to use today’s software; it must be about teaching kids to make tomorrow’s software.
8. Computer Science is not just a STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — subject, but a liberal art as well. Being able to think critically about digital media environments means being able to think critically about our world.
9. Kids are already doing algorithms, the basic building blocks of computer programming. Once they learn long division, they are ready to start programming.
Be sure to read the rest here.