As a parent, we want to give our children every opportunity to succeed in life. And in today’s tech-driven society, that means they need to learn how to code. But why is coding so important? And do all kids need to learn code or just those who are good in math and science? Let’s see what ten influential leaders have to say about coding:
- According to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, “Every child in America should have the opportunity to learn computer science. It teaches you how to think, and how to solve problems.”
- Nicholas Negroponte, founder of the MIT Media Lab, goes even further, saying that “computing is not about computers anymore. It is about living.”
- Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, agrees. He says, “To be successful in the 21st century, kids need to learn how to code. Coding is the new literacy. It’s the way you understand how to talk to the world around you.”
- Former President Barack Obama adds that coding “helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic, and creativity.”
- But it’s not just about future career prospects. Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple, believed that “computer science is a liberal art, it’s something that everyone should learn how to use, at least a little bit, just like you learn how to read and write.”
- Coding helps us understand and shape the world around us. As Reshma Saujani, founder of Girls Who Code, puts it, “Coding is the way we shape the world.”
- Mitch Resnick, the director of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, emphasizes the importance of coding for kids: “Coding is the most important 21st-century skill children can learn. It’s how they’ll be able to understand and change the world around them.”
- Tim O’Reilly, founder of O’Reilly Media, agrees: “Learning to code is a gateway to understanding the world in a different way. It’s a way to understand how technology works, and how to build the things you need and want.”
- Karen Cator, director of educational technology at the US Department of Education, believes that coding is essential for success in the modern world: “Coding is the new black. It’s the new English. It’s the new math.”
10. And Code.org co-founder Hadi Partovi adds that “coding is the new literacy and all children need to know how to code. It’s not just about becoming a computer programmer, it’s about giving kids the opportunity to be creators and not just consumers in the digital world.”
You get the idea. Coding definitely needs to be in your child’s toolbelt. Here’s what Tynker co-founder and CEO, Srinivas Mandyam, had to say about children learning to code:
It’s increasingly essential that every child develops coding skills to meet the digital economy’s demands over the next decade.
Tynker co-founder and CEO, Srinivas Mandyam
Tynker’s mission is to provide every child from elementary school through high school with a solid foundation in computer science by developing their programming skills and in turn their ability to think critically, problem-solve, manage their time, and communicate with each other and the world.
So what are you waiting for? Take the first step and give your child the skills they’ll need in school—and their careers. Get started for free with Tynker, where we’ve taught more than 60 million kids the joys of coding.
Tynker has experienced tremendous growth over the past year, adding exciting new features ranging from cool design tools to advanced courses in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. We also added two free coaching sessions with a coding instructor for students who subscribe to a paid plan, to ensure every child gets a solid start in their coding endeavors.
Last year, we also gave away cash prizes in our two coding competitions: BYJU’S Coding Cup (in recognition of the World Cup) and our Winter Coding Cup.
Tynker has even more new projects planned for the new year to get kids and teens excited about coding. We can’t wait to see what your child will create with code in 2023!
This article was first published on Tynker
