If you have visited a bookstore recently you may have noticed an explosion in Python-related titles, especially for kids.
The Python I mean is not the invasive species of the snake now eating Florida alligators, nor Monty Python the comedy troupe, but the computer language, made in Holland originally but nowadays world-owned. Python, the language, appears to be taking over the world!
I see two factors are behind this mega-trend:
1. The pressure is on to ‘”get coding’”. The high profile media campaign includes the President of the United States plus an assortment other celebrities.
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2. The Python computer language a provides credible way to get started in coding, with more languages to follow, such as JavaScript and Clojure.
WHY PYTHON?
What makes Python a right choice as an entry level computer language? It has established roots in two worlds: Web development and Scientific computing. These two Venn circles overlap. Their intersection is a sweet spot that accounts for Python’s rise. A first sign of Python’s bright future was its early adoption by MIT for a signature “101” course taken by all its future software engineers.
Why MIT now uses python instead of scheme for its undergraduate CS program
YOUR KID – THE PYTHONISTA?
Given your home, business, car, financials, are all becoming digital — think Internet of Everything (IoE) — is learning Python a good investment for the junior programmer in your family or even you?
That’s one question to be asking, certainly.
Another is: where does “learning to code” begin, in whatever languages?
In case of an unemployed minor, attending an educational academy, you might expect such Python or learning to start there. But does it? Maybe not.
I think you’ll find for the most part schools are where they were over a decade ago: math is math, and coding is coding and never the twain shall meet. And, coding is much more important than esoteric math that may never be used.
So what’s the problem?
If computer classes are taught at all, they’re electives, meaning not for core credit and at best for advanced placement in computer science.
Or maybe students are expected to learn programming entirely through extra-curricular classes.
Probably a cultural shift is needed before this state of affairs gives way.
What used to be called “computer literacy” is simply perceived as another core literacy today, closely connected to what some call “numeracy” but then that word can be misleading.
Many folks may simply miss the key point: computers are not just “number crunching” devices, they’re the readers, and writers, and connectors of all our records, when this task is scaled to serve the public.
We now live in a total digital world.
We used to use ledger books and quill pens to chronicle our accounts, but today that’s all done with databases and software.
Just think of your searching the web. The web page has become the new public-facing writing surface, HTML just more punctuation.
A typewriter no longer cuts it, having no umbilical cord to the Internet.
CODING: THE UBIQUITOUS ACTIVITY
In other words, coding has invaded all “three Rs”: writing, arithmetic, and reading have been digitized. A basic English class, which covers such formats as “the outline” and the structure of conventional books (table of contents, index, footnotes and so on) nowadays needs to tackle the Document Object Model (DOM) in addition.
In other words, “to code” has come to mean “to engage in any lexical activity that scales”. Coding is as much about living in the 21st Century as anything we do and learn.
Back to Python,yes it’s a powerful tool, and yet is but one among many important computer languages. The DOM is more directly controlled by JavaScript and industrial reading and writing is accomplished with Structured Query Language (SQL). Python plays well with others and cooperates with all of the above.
Mastery of several software tools is required, as much for blue collar as for white collar jobs, if that distinction means anything in this new world. We’re talking about clerical skills, secretarial skills. Web browsers are the new pen and paper, databases the new file cabinet.
The new pressure for work and employability is future shock in disguise.
The basic skills of our culture were never set in stone. Today’s economy requires speeds and efficiency levels only coding can provide.
The fact that schools are only just beginning to catch up is actually a symptom of future shock deferred, or perhaps outsourced to other countries. But for how long is denial a viable economic and prosperity strategy?
FUTURE IS NOW!
The bigger question then is: how might we transform a potentially negative “shock” (as in “future shock”) into a series of “happy surprises” that lead to work, sustainability, and prosperity? Must every cultural disruption be all crisis and catastrophe?
Our coding illiteracy crisis is at the same time a tremendous opportunity to improve our curriculum and way of life.
How might we leap ahead in a more coordinated manner, with out tripping all over ourselves and wasting a lot of energy?
Stay tuned for a future article on this timely question.
Bio:
Kirby entered the world stage near the campus of the University of Chicago, where his dad was getting a PhD in Urban Planning, and soon moved to Portland, Oregon, a city known for its city planners. However Jack wished a blanker canvas, a developing country or region to work with, and the family soon moved to Rome, Italy from where Jack could plan for Libya. The family continued globe hopping, to the Philippines, Egypt, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Lesotho and South Africa (where Jack died). Kirby obtained his BA from Princeton, under the tutelage of Richard Rorty and peers, and focusing on the philosophy of Ludwig Wittgenstein (thesis topic). He was always interested in computers ]devoted many hours to their study. Programming, along with teaching, have been the pillars of his technical career. He partnered with his wife to be in 1990 to form a consulting business, Dawn Wicca and Associates (DBA 4D Solutions) which thrived until she died of invasive breast cancer (IBC) in 2007. Kirby has two daughters. His mother Carol, is a world famous peace activist and his sister Julie lives in Whittier, Greater LA. Kirby currently teaches computer programming for a variety of outfits (his resume is at Grunch.net).