| > Appreciate the reply. Well, you were lucky I saw your message at all :-) (you did upvote mine, didn't you?) > Ah, I was responding to the assertion that every should be a programmer. I might have misinterpreted this to mean professionally rather than passing knowledge. Well, obviously I am only speaking for myself, but I think most people who suggest programming to be tought as a universal skill don't expect everyone to become a professional programmer (though I guess chances are programming in some form or another could become pretty pervasive at least in jobs that typically require some kind of higher education). > Hmmm. Not sure I disagree, but woodworking is a valuable skill, and I think its important for people to be exposed to different types of careers so they can make an informed choice. My dad does woodworking for a hobby, and I would rather have nice handcrafted furniture available, rather than cheap plywood crap. Sure, but I think it's far less important as a basic skill nowadays, and it's not really much of a job anymore either. So, if resources are limited, I think teaching computing/programming basics would be more important. Nothing wrong with offering optional courses/clubs/whatever, though, I guess. > Not sure what you mean by electronics classes? Like, soldering simple circuits, that kind of stuff. > As far as the office classes, there are people who really struggle with computers, and teaching them skills they will need in an office is useful. Maybe teaching them some basic ui design principles would do more to enable them to learn these programs, and others? I think so. And in any case, I think that teaching a proprietary product in public schools is completely inacceptable, pretty much no matter how useful a skill it currently might be. Schools always should teach generic, transferable skills, not products. It might well be that Casio calculators are useful. But that doesn't mean that we have Casio classes; we have math classes that teach arithmetic, and possibly the use of calculators. |
"but I think most people who suggest programming to be tought as a universal skill don't expect everyone to become a professional programmer"
wow, that moment when you realize it is possible that you have misunderstood an entire ongoing, industry-wide conversation.
"but I think it's far less important as a basic skill nowadays"
That's true, the average person does not need to make their own chairs anymore. And programming would be more useful to more people. But I sometimes like to think of high school as sampling things that you might be interested in pursuing further. Though I think we could get rid of one shop elective for a mandatory basics of computer programming type course.
Also, it is still a job, projected job growth 2014-2024 is 6%, which is average. [1]
"Like, soldering simple circuits, that kind of stuff"
Oh cool, we didnt have that. We did have metalworking classes, but I went with the computer ones. We had some cool stuff in middle school, like using radio broadcasting equipment.
"I think so. And in any case, I think that teaching a proprietary product in public schools is completely inacceptable, pretty much no matter how useful a skill it currently might be. Schools always should teach generic, transferable skills, not products."
I see your position, but I have seen so many people who think of using a program in a step by step manner who would need this. Perhaps a basics of computers/programming type course would fix the "navigate the program like a maze" mindset? Perhaps we are experiencing a filter bubble like effect where we have lost touch with people who are not into software, and how they do not just grasp things like we do?
1. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/construction-and-extraction/carpenter...