Should children learn programming?

US President Barack Obama once encouraged, "Don't just play games on your phone, learn to program on it."

New programming languages ​​are the "common language" of the world. However, according to IDC, fewer than 20 million people out of the nearly 3 billion people in the world today know how to use a programming language.

In recent years, the tech industry has been urging people to learn to code for at least an hour a day. US President Barack Obama once said, "Don't just play games on your phone, learn to code there." Many countries around the world have begun to take action; the UK recently decided to teach programming in schools, while countries like Estonia, Finland, Italy, and Singapore are preparing to integrate programming education into their general education curricula.

Many experts agree that programming can and should be taught to children at an early age. Younger students should have their time spent on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) subjects reduced, while programming is a language that is well-suited for young people to learn. However, no studies have shown that young age negatively impacts students' ability to learn and develop programming skills in popular languages ​​like Python, Java, and C++.

Recognizing this, professors and many experts have created programming languages ​​specifically for children. Programs like Lego's WeDo, Scratch Jr., and Google's Blockly are designed for 5-year-olds with engaging visual illustrations. Aimed at children, these programs offer many games, encourage the development of math skills, and are as enjoyable as having children read stories aloud by their parents, with "characters coming to life as if in a story," according to MIT professor Mitchel Resnick.

Giving children the opportunity to learn programming not only helps them succeed in the future by teaching them essential skills, but also enhances their overall problem-solving abilities. Learning to program means finding an effective solution to a problem. This means there isn't a single right or wrong answer; the focus is always on fixing problems, finding the optimal solution that satisfies multiple criteria. This flexible approach avoids the obsession with absolute right or wrong that traditional education methods place on children.

Several studies have been conducted to examine the impact of learning programming on children's development, and scientists have expressed differing opinions. Some argue that by the age of five, children have many other necessary activities for self-development. "Forcing children to learn programming at this age will make them fearful of technology and hinder their success later in life, as technology is essential," said Dr. Jim Taylor, a psychologist. However, many other psychologists and experts believe that teaching programming to young children is not problematic and does not take up time that could be used for physical activities, outdoor play, or reading. In fact, serious programming lessons on a computer are a more effective alternative to letting children play games on iPads.

While these debates are far from over, many programmers argue that introducing this subject into schools would provide all children with a basic understanding that would be useful in many other fields, such as using graphic illustrations to record the caterpillar-to-butterfly transformation process in natural science, or designing interactive maps of countries in geography.

Like any language or dialect in the world, programming languages ​​will undergo a revolution, becoming more understandable and computers increasingly intelligent. A programmer once told Wired magazine: "Each generation will be introduced to a more sophisticated interface. Eventually, everyone will be able to program because the language will become as natural as everyday language." And children should be introduced to this language from their earliest years.

According to VNE