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Articles on Computer programming

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Letting AI do the dirty work of programming frees students to work on problem-solving. Issarawat Tattong/Moment via Getty Images

AI helps students skip right to the good stuff in this intro programming course

Learning to program requires mastering the nitty-gritty of code syntax. Generative AI turns out to be good at that. Adding AI to intro programming courses frees students to focus on problem-solving.
The power of putting basic elements in just the right order is key to both Jewish mysticism and computer coding. WhataWin/iStock via Getty Images Plus

From ancient Jewish texts to androids to AI, a just-right sequence of numbers or letters turns matter into meaning

Advanced artificial intelligence is new, but a similar idea has been around for hundreds of years: the power of a just-right sequence of numbers, letters or elements to animate matter.
Ada King, Countess of Lovelace, was more than just another mathematician. Watercolor portrait of Ada King, Countess of Lovelace by Alfred Edward Chalon via Wikimedia

Ada Lovelace’s skills with language, music and needlepoint contributed to her pioneering work in computing

Lovelace was a prodigious math talent who learned from the giants of her time, but her linguistic and creative abilities were also important in her invention of computer programming.
Ontario’s elementary and secondary school curricula now include coding, a most basic aspect of learning programming. (Shutterstock)

Why elementary and high school students should learn computer programming

Teaching computer programming to youth can prepare them for the future job market, promote equity in tech professions and develop students’ computational thinking skills.
Truly learning to code involves more than episodic experiences. Students should ideally develop a ‘coding mindset.’ Nesa by makers/Unsplash

The promise of the “learn to code” movement

Learning to code is often presented as a solution to job market problems of the 21st century, but are students really learning the competencies they will need?
Are computers in the classroom more helpful to students – or the companies that sell the machines? AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki

Taking a second look at the learn-to-code craze

Past efforts to teach American students computer skills haven’t always helped workers get better-paying jobs. But spending on hardware and software for schools has certainly enriched tech companies.
Putting privacy right in the code. Keyhole image via shutterstock.com

Building privacy right into software code

Most of today’s computer languages make it hard for programmers to protect users’ privacy and security. The fix is to take those tasks out of human hands entirely.
Computer… or black box for data? US Army

How computers broke science – and what we can do to fix it

Virtually every researcher relies on computers to collect or analyze data. But when computers are opaque black boxes that manipulate data, it’s impossible to replicate studies – a core value for science.

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