Parents

Why should everyone learn to code? Coding is another term for computer programming, which is the practice of writing instructions for computers. Interestingly, the first programmer in the world was Countess Ada Lovelace of England. She was also the daughter of the poet Byron. At that time, a brilliant engineer named Charles Babbage invented and attempted to build the first mechanical computer, and Ada wrote programs for Babbage's unfinished machine. The algorithms she created became the world's first computer programs.

Coding is now inseparable from human life with the development of computing machinery. You may not believe it, but it is said that the number of transistors produced each year is greater than the number of grains of rice produced in the world. Even you, who is reading this, have a small computer (smartphone) in your pocket or handbag, right? Not only that, but many smart devices around us are running by code. Refrigerators, TVs, robot cleaners, thermostats, security cameras, DVD players, drones, moving toys/dolls, electronic watches, ... almost all electronic products work smartly by coding.

We are entering into an era where machines are replacing not only humans' physical powers but also humans' intellectual labor. The IBM Watson Computer, who won several times at the Jeffrey Quiz Show, and the Alpha Go, who won the World Go champion Se-dol Lee 9-dan, will give us a clue of what else will happen in the future. You don't have to be afraid of smart machines. In the upcoming society, smart machines will help doctors quickly diagnose critically ill patients through coding, plan sophisticated brain surgery, quickly detect disaster areas, support emergency supplies, and analyze numerous data in a rapidly changing business environment. It will help humans in many areas, such as helping make rational decisions, searching numerous precedents, and saving time in translation and creation.

You might think all these examples show professional activities and wonder about the connection between them and your children. Science and technology greatly change the world. Students are building the skills necessary for the future world at school. For example, no matter what job you choose, you need to study math. Mathematics not only allows you to calculate your salary, plan your budget and savings, but it also empowers you to read patterns and find rules in a seemingly complex world. That is, learning to think, not just knowledge. But there is a problem. School education is bound to change slightly more slowly than the world. Computer development requires not only solving equations to find answers, but also the ability to write computer programs to find answers. Biologists and psychologists, who now feel far from computers, cannot fully demonstrate their abilities if they do not know coding. Fortunately, many schools in the United States have started teaching coding. Regular courses are also open in high schools.

At c2j (code2joy) we are trying to help students who study alone without the opportunity to learn coding at school. We are going to present guidelines so that even students who have never experienced coding can start on their own. We are also trying to help talented children experience challenging coding projects to develop their skills to the fullest. With our c2j lessons, you are not learning how to use computers. It's about learning how to solve the world's problems using the computer as a tool. The coding education with c2j.org will be one of the keys to the future.

P.S. Oh! We left out the most important thing. After teaching kids to code for years, we realized that children who read a lot and love math can learn to code easily even if they start very, very late. Do not have to teach them to code right away. Rather, encourage your children to do better in school and help them read a lot. Please gives them lots of opportunities for other special activities. Then, if they have time to spare, or if they are too bored with computer games, encourage them to learn to code.

- The code2joy Team

Q. What coding language (programming language) should students learn first?

A. Many high schools teach JAVA and C++ partly due to the focus of the specific styles of programming (i.e. objected oriented programming). But, Python is recommended by c2j.org because we believe that it's easy to start learn. Python is a popular language that has recently been used in a wide range of fields, including machine learning, data science, and engineering.

Q. In what grade should coding education begin?

A. There's no single answer. There are individual differences but we've seen that many 4th graders feel comfortable to code with Python. Younger students might have difficulties when they meet mathematical concepts such as calculating the distance between two points in a game. The content of this webpage has also been tried to make sure that most of the content is understood and followed by elementary school students (however, the examples in Projects contain content that requires more difficult math). If there is something difficult for children to understand, please contact us at help@c2j.org.

Q. Should coding education occur only academic environment?

A. Learning in an academic environment might be ideal. However it's not necessary. The coding you need in K12 can be learned by yourself. There are many free resources you can find from the Internet including free textbooks and videos. You can also use this webpage to study. One advantage using this webpage is that you can send an email to help@c2j.org for help.

Q. What do you learn from this website?

A. This website is largely composed of three parts. In Lesson A (Casually Python) you will learn the most basic. In Lesson B (Python with Turtle), you will be familiar with the algorithm by drawing various patterns using Turtle Graphics. After completing the two lessons, through Projects, we organized to learn by following interesting examples one by one. What do you do when you finish all of your projects? At that time, you probably don't need the help of this website. You can freely enjoy coding yourself~ (We will also create an advanced projects menu).

Q. How can parents help?

A. It would be best if parents read the webpages together, discuss and code together. If that's difficult to do, provide a comfortable environment to focus on, and give praise and encouragement.

Q. Is c2j.org free?

A. Yes, it's completely free. There's no hidden, additional structures requiring a paid lesson.