Getting with the program

Programming is a non-trivial skill, so of course it takes time, effort, and concentration to acquire.

But because much schooling is about the continuation of earlier study, students are often taken aback when they’re confronted with material about which they have no prior knowledge. And because modern life often allows students to shirk their responsibilities to read dense text for comprehension and to write with care and precision (think flashy websites designed to elicit clicks, not contemplation, and near-illiterate “texts” and “tweets”), is it any wonder that students are surprised by the sophistication of thought required in order to program?

The programming learning curve is shallow, in part because old habits of imprecise thought and composition have to be abandoned. But as was shown this week by the hard work of my students, the curve does point upwards as new ideas and ways of thinking are assimilated.

I am encouraged by the productive struggles of my students learning programming for the first time, or learning a new programming paradigm like OOP, and look forward to their continuing success!