Why is coding still not taught in Irish primary schools?

LeinsterDub · 27-03-2013 11:30PM

If the drop out rate in my college course when it came to programming is any indication making mandatory would be a disaster

27-03-2013 11:31PM

What we definitely need to do with programming is what we've done with every other subject, create an incredibly basic syllabus, tell the kids it's hard, spread it over 7-14 years of schooling with the most uniform teaching possible and make sure that everyone learns the exact same stuff.

shedweller · 27-03-2013 11:31PM

Midnight Sundance wrote: »

How would you suggest training all the primary teachers to a sufficient standard in coding? Where would the money come from? The time? And not to mention the resources??
What subject should we drop in order to make time for this? The curriculum is already extremely overloaded.

We could make religion optional.

DaveDaRave · 27-03-2013 11:32PM

LeinsterDub wrote: »

If the drop out rate in my college course when it came to programming is any indication making mandatory would be a disaster

well i dont know about it being mandatory but if it was an optional subject then im sure there would be a much lower drop out rate at third level as people would realize by CAO time that computer science is not about using facebook and making call of duty

Solair · 27-03-2013 11:32PM

I think I must have just had a very forward thinking primary school.

We had coding going on in the early 1990s (before the internet was mainstream!)

It was a fairly simplistic language, but it did give you a basic understanding of what programming is.

In keeping with Irish primary schools of the early 90s, we still had to draw St Bridget's crosses using code and turtle graphics and make it say stuff as Gaeilge.

One project we did involved making a game for teaching you Irish prepositions lol

Oafley Jones · 27-03-2013 11:33PM

Inserts Hysterical demand that Mandarin should be taught in Primary. Disgrace Joe etc. etc.

morlock_ · 27-03-2013 11:34PM

Midnight Sundance wrote: »

How would you suggest training all the primary teachers to a sufficient standard in coding? Where would the money come from? The time? And not to mention the resources??
What subject should we drop in order to make time for this? The curriculum is already extremely overloaded.

I would remove religion and Irish as compulsory subjects for a start.
At least give kids the option to study programming instead of forcing them to learn history or geography and other banal subjects.

Jimoslimos · 27-03-2013 11:36PM

Why stop at coding?

I mean if you really want to know how computers work then surely an understanding of semiconductors, solid state physics and quantum mechanics are essential.

darahiggins · 27-03-2013 11:36PM

Slightly off topic but I'm a trainee solicitor and have always had an interest in coding so ive decided to do a free online course on a fantastic website called udacity.com (not that it will be of any use to me). This gives you the basics of coding all the way up to advanced levels. Its designed moreso for people in developing countries with no access to education but why not avail of the free interactive lectures. Is there anyone here who has used this website or knows whether instruction on the python programme is a good way to approach the topic?

Oafley Jones · 27-03-2013 11:38PM

morlock_ wrote: »

I would remove religion and Irish as compulsory subjects for a start.
At least give kids the option to study programming instead of forcing them to learn history or geography and other banal subjects.

You consider basic programming more important than history or geography?

shleedance · 27-03-2013 11:38PM

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Why stop at coding?

I mean if you really want to know how computers work then surely an understanding of semiconductors, solid state physics and quantum mechanics are essential.

Wouldn't need to go that far. Although, teaching basic science would be helpful as a separate subject.

Seachmall · 27-03-2013 11:39PM

darahiggins wrote: »

knows whether instruction on the python programme is a good way to approach the topic?

Absolutely.

One of the most useful languages you can learn (especially for a nonprogrammer).

shleedance · 27-03-2013 11:41PM

Oafley Jones wrote: »

You consider basic programming more important than history or geography?

Actually it stems to how I feel that the entire education should be revamped. It's incredibly inefficient and backwards in many aspects.

Dwork · 27-03-2013 11:42PM

Before we hop kids into Coding, any hope our primary schools might all teach them to actually read and write properly first? That might be some way realistic. We can then move on to more ambitious stuff.

shleedance · 27-03-2013 11:43PM

Dwork wrote: »

Before we hop kids into Coding, any hope our primary schools might all teach them to actually read and write properly first? That might be some way realistic. We can then move on to more ambitious stuff.

I'm sure most kids are literate enough by 5th class.

LordSutch · 27-03-2013 11:44PM

shedweller wrote: »

We could make religion optional.

And/or we could make Irish optional.

morlock_ · 27-03-2013 11:44PM

Oafley Jones wrote: »

You consider basic programming more important than history or geography?

How much geography and history do you want to know?

I was taught these subjects (specifically history) for many years of my primary and secondary education with absolutely no benefit to my current life today.

The same can be said for Religion and Irish yet we're forced to learn these subjects from an early age.

The only subjects I found beneficial were Maths and English, that's it and the other subjects have been a tragic waste of time.

partyatmygaff · 27-03-2013 11:45PM

fullgas wrote: »

Yes you do, all computer code is logic & algebraic formulas.

Yes but you don't need much in the way of algebra or logic to teach kids how to set up a website and write some basic HTML/CSS and the odd javascript function or two. That and some of the basics of computers and the internet would be more than enough to get people interested.

ImDave · 27-03-2013 11:45PM

Basic computer science might not be a bad idea, but why single out one area of IT on the basis of there being a decent demand for programmers right now and call it a national disgrace that children aren't being thought it?

Sensationalist comment OP - try and make it until you can "Talk to Joe" instead tomorrow afternoon!

Midnight Sundance · 27-03-2013 11:49PM

DaveDaRave wrote: »

religion and irish

If I could drop religion and Irish I think that I would rather concentrate on reading and writing. But that's an entirely different debate.
The education budget already has been severed. Children who should be getting learning support or resource hours are not getting it due to teaching numbers being culled. Classes are getting bigger and getting language support teachers is getting more and more difficult. If there was the money in the coffers I don't think training teachers in coding is exactly the place to spend it right now. I'm not saying its ridiculous but it's not visible right now.

Aineoil · 27-03-2013 11:52PM

As a primary school teacher, I am all for coding, but the amount of children who have basic literacy needs is amazing. If you put literacy as a priority then maths as a second priority - these are not my terms - this is how the Department of Education and Science see things. As far as the Inspectorate are concerned oral language (the lack of it) is a real issue.

If you want coding (I agree) you would have to introduce it into the training colleges firstly. Slow and steady seems the way forward. Having said this the degree of variation of ability in a class is mind boggling.

26 years teaching by the way. I still have no answers only questions.

Logical_Bear · 27-03-2013 11:55PM

my son has used scratch in school.He's in fifth class.Not sure how common that is though.(Using scratch,not the fact he's in fifth class

)

Dwork · 27-03-2013 11:56PM

Aineoil wrote: »

As a primary school teacher, I am all for coding, but the amount of children who have basic literacy needs is amazing. If you put literacy as a priority then maths as a second priority - these are not my terms - this is how the Department of Education and Science see things. As far as the Inspectorate are concerned oral language (the lack of it) is a real issue.

If you want coding (I agree) you would have to introduce it into the training colleges firstly. Slow and steady seems the way forward. Having said this the degree of variation of ability in a class is mind boggling.

26 years teaching by the way. I still have no answers only questions.

Must make exams a bit disheartening for the kids.

ElleEm · 27-03-2013 11:57PM

I sense I am going to get banned from Boards for saying this, but I have absolutely no idea what coding is. Am I the only one? Please say I'm not the only one!!!

fasttalkerchat · 27-03-2013 11:58PM

Half of degree students struggle with excel. Coding should be optional, otherwise the classes will be dumbed down like regular ICT classes and those who are likely to go into IT will learn nothing.

GAAman · 27-03-2013 11:58PM

But I did learn coding in my school, the most important code of all

Up, Up, Down, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start

Logical_Bear · 28-03-2013 12:01AM

ElleEm wrote: »

I sense I am going to get banned from Boards for saying this, but I have absolutely no idea what coding is. Am I the only one? Please say I'm not the only one!!!

software coding is what it is:D

missingtime · 28-03-2013 12:02AM

Introduce it as a hobby, something they can do after school. that's how kids will get enjoyment out of it. If you introduce it as a core subject it will suck the fun aspect out of it.

missingtime · 28-03-2013 12:04AM

ElleEm wrote: »

I sense I am going to get banned from Boards for saying this, but I have absolutely no idea what coding is. Am I the only one? Please say I'm not the only one!!!

Programming, software development, apps for smartphones etc

Aineoil · 28-03-2013 12:04AM

Dwork

I would never dishearten a child - that would be cruel. In primary school we don't have exams as such, we test

Why is coding still not taught in Irish primary schools?

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