News - BBC launches kids TV shows with coding and computing content

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The new range of programming will shown across Bitesize, CBBC and CBeebies.

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Read more.

Psh just give them a yellow pages-sized ARexx assembler book and an Amiga and let them make their own way. Worked for me.

I really don't think they should be forcing programming on everyone, I find you either have a knack/interest for it, or you don't.

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Originally Posted by virtuo

Psh just give them a yellow pages-sized ARexx assembler book and an Amiga and let them make their own way. Worked for me.

I really don't think they should be forcing programming on everyone, I find you either have a knack/interest for it, or you don't.

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Well, presumably they're not strapping kids down in front of the TV and taping their eyelids open.

"Forcing" this programming on everyone is a bit .... harsh??

I think it's a good idea. Give young kids an age-appropriate introduction to how the tech they'll grow up with works. Like swimming, some will be Olympic athletes, some will be water-phobic, but most will just know the basics necessary for living modern life. And kids that aren't interested in watching it just .... well ... won't.

That sounds interesting, I'll have to see if I can watch that with my kids.

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Originally Posted by Saracen

Well, presumably they're not strapping kids down in front of the TV and taping their eyelids open.

"Forcing" this programming on everyone is a bit .... harsh??

I think it's a good idea. Give young kids an age-appropriate introduction to how the tech they'll grow up with works. Like swimming, some will be Olympic athletes, some will be water-phobic, but most will just know the basics necessary for living modern life. And kids that aren't interested in watching it just .... well ... won't.

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Oops, I went in with both feet there. I've had a rant brewing in me about having computer programming as part of the school curriculum. This is just optional education for those with an interest.

Which is good.


This is what I was trying to complain about: http://www.bbc.com/news/education-28987787

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Computing will teach pupils how to write code. Pupils aged five to seven will be expected to "understand what algorithms are" and to "create and debug simple programs". By the age of 11, pupils will have to "design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems"

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Originally Posted by bbc

Computing will teach pupils how to write code. Pupils aged five to seven will be expected to "understand what algorithms are" and to "create and debug simple programs". By the age of 11, pupils will have to "design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems"

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I have an engineering degree and that sounds a bit full on for 11 year olds! I spent years modelling real world problems, which by their nature are rather complicated. You, 11 year old boy, model turbulent combustion of a stoichiometrically balanced petrol - air mix inside an engine cylinder. Jump to!

Equally I would have loved to have learned programming at a younger age, when I would then have had time to play with it and develop skills before heading to uni. I might well have taken a different route...

Great idea! I wish we had this when I was a nipper.

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Originally Posted by ik9000

I have an engineering degree and that sounds a bit full on for 11 year olds! I spent years modelling real world problems, which by their nature are rather complicated. You, 11 year old boy, model turbulent combustion of a stoichiometrically balanced petrol - air mix inside an engine cylinder. Jump to!

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I think "design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems" is the BBC (or probably the Department for Education originally) putting it in an unnecessarily complicated way. That sentence could equally describe a quick 5-line monte-carlo to see what totals you get from rolling a couple of dice, which I'm sure is a more reasonable challenge for 11 year olds. More to the point, it's probably within the abilities of their primary school teachers who are likely not specialists in computing or even maths/science.

I think it is a stupid idiot. If they want to go that route they'll have to teach a heck of a lot more than just "programming". Programming is one small area in computing, and one small area of knowledge you can gain in this world.

This is why there are specialist areas, let it be specialist, don't try and let it become "the norm". We already have basic IT subjects for the younger generation so I'd leave it at that.


Kids have enough to deal with in terms of pure learning, let them find their own way. This is why Universities and qualification are available, pursue a given area. I have forgot half of the things I've learnt in school, the mix of Geography, Science, languages, Math, history, P.E etc is all but lost. There is only so much you can shove into a brain and have it become at the front of the brain :shocked2:


And given the fact that some areas are incredibly boring for some people. Can't keep dipping too deep into specific areas.

Crazy conspiracy theory idea: I think teaching kids programming / scripting is really a preamble for the government to seek out the genius kids for the next evolution of war amongst nations. It's not going to be fought in the real world, but in virtual worlds.

On a seperate subject, not wishing to hijack the thread, mikeo01 - I like your signature jokes :)