What is coding?
Coding is the short-hand term for computer programming that enables us to create software, apps and websites.
Why is it important?
Computer programming jobs are increasing at twice the rate of the national average – so there are plenty of opportunities for coders. Even if your students don’t want a job in the IT industry, employers are on the lookout for people who can demonstrate ‘computational’ thinking and problem-solving skills.
Computational thinking is the process of understanding and solving problems in the real world. It allows young people to tackle a problem and break it down into solvable chunks and then devise algorithms to solve them.
Algorithms are precise methods for solving a given problem. They are not just used by computers. Here’s a real world example of an algorithm;
How to repair a bike puncture:
- Take off the wheel
- Remove the tyre
- Remove the inner tube
- Find the hold
- Patch it
- Replace the inner tube
- Replace the tyre
- Put the wheel back on
How can I learn more about coding?
If you or a young person want to find out more about learning to code then Barclays Code Playground can help. Here you will find videos and lesson plans and be able to book onto online sessions.
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