The Importance of Teaching Kids to Code in the Age of Generative AI

Claims that kids don’t need to learn to code, like what the OECD’s education chief Andreas Schleicher says, don’t understand what coding is really about.

Some people think that coders just write code, but even before AI, a coder’s job was more about using pre-written code, figuring out how it works, and making it fit a specific purpose. Now, AI generates a lot of that pre-written code. In both cases, coders need to think critically and solve problems.

So, why do young people need to learn to code? Well, Steve Jobs said a while back that everyone should learn to code because it teaches you how to think. And research from 2019 found that one month of learning to code and think computationally is like seven months of regular math and science when it comes to building thinking skills in kids.

For example, one project was about saving water in farming. We gave the students limited resources, and they came up with clever ideas like using straws and a motor to move water to plants, and bananas to connect humidity sensors to a computer that checks soil moisture.

These hands-on exercises teach important non-technical skills like talking to others, critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving. These skills are crucial for using AI effectively in our ever-changing work world.