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Why Programming?

Why should children learn programming? This video explains some of the skills that are developed when learning programming.
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We think it’s important for children to learn programming because we want them to be active producers rather than passive consumers of technology. We want them to use technology to shape their world and to solve problems that they or their community may face. And by problems, we don’t just mean problems in the field of computer science, but also in art, music, storytelling, and lots of other areas, as we’ll show throughout this course. Through programming, children also learn and develop computational thinking skills, such as logical thinking; expressing a task in a clear, precise way; breaking down a problem into components and tackling them one at a time; resilience through spotting and fixing problems; and collaboration, working together and supporting each other.
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Programming is a great way to develop these skills. And they’re also useful life skills for school, hobbies, and future careers.

It is important for children to learn programming, so that they can be active producers rather than just passive consumers of technology. Children can use technology to shape their world and to solve problems that they or their community may face.

Post in the comments below why you think it’s important for children to learn programming skills.

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Teaching Programming in Primary Schools

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FutureLearn - Learning For Life

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