3 Key Benefits of Programming Education for Kids
Children today are growing up in a very different world than previous generations. In the internet age, it does not seem possible for parents to raise their children in isolation from new technologies. Children who can adapt to the digitalized world experience this new world as an opportunity.
For parents who were introduced to technology as a teenager or even as an adult, computers and smartphones can be a complete trap. However, thanks to programming education, children start to use these devices much more consciously from a young age. Technological devices, which have ceased to be an entertainment tool, take on a different role as a part of learning.
Motivating your kids to explore the world of coding can have unexpected benefits for them. Let's take a look at the most important benefits of programming education for kids.
Supports cognitive development
The connection between computer programming learning and cognitive development has been known since the 80s. Seymour Papert, who works in MIT's mathematics department and is the founder of the programming language called LOGO, is also one of the first scientists to investigate the connection between coding and cognitive development in children.
According to Papert, if children receive high-quality computer programming education, they can experience the education model called learning without teaching. Because programming offers an environment where abstract concepts that are difficult for children to understand are embodied. At the same time , with coding education, children learn how to think, not what to think.
Children who encounter a coding problem quickly break it down into small pieces and seek an effective solution. This approach is called computational thinking and it is of great importance in dealing with any real-world problem. Although Papert's ideas received a lot of backlash in his day, new research shows that coding does indeed support children's cognitive development.
Raise children who are proficient in the STEM field
Programming education helps you raise your children to be leaders of the future. Because the STEM field, which is experiencing a rapid rise today, seems to continue to be the roof of the most influential occupational groups in the future. In the ever-growing era of digital transformation, future professions include developers, programmers, software engineers and computer scientists.
The share of computer and programming-based professions is increasing every year in all sectors. Moreover, 93% of STEM occupations earn above-average salaries. This means that children who learn programming at an early age will have a strong entry into their careers when they join the working life, as they will be much more equipped than those who do not.
Develops creative thinking skills
A well-organized and age-appropriate programming education is especially important for two reasons. The first of these is to enable children to understand this new knowledge in a comprehensive and in-depth manner. Thus, they can form a solid basis for applying their own ideas and experiments. Second, they have much longer time to maximize their potential and develop their critical thinking .
It's about developing critical and creative thinking skills, such as coding, learning a new language or playing the guitar. For this reason, those who learned programming as children can approach both coding and life more solution-oriented.
" Basic coding set for kids" brings together valuable resources for children to lay the foundation of programming education in the strongest way. Aiming to guide children who dream of becoming an engineer, the set consists of five books and three magazines.
