[Gllug] App development for children

[JLMS]

On 18 May 2011 12:14, Richard W.M. Jones <rich at annexia.org> wrote:
> On Wed, May 18, 2011 at 08:42:19AM +0100, Tethys wrote:
>> JLMS writes:
>>
>> >So should they be taught non marketable skills? Or should we contact a
>> >medium to forsee the technologies that will be useful in the future?
>>
>> No, they should be taught general skills that can be adapted to both
>> current and future technologies. School isn't a place to teach marketable
>> skills. It's a place to produce well rounded, adaptable humans. Focusing
>> on specific current technology really does seem like the wrong approach
>> to me.
>
> My school focussed on the current technology.  It happened to be
> PETs, ZX Spectrums and BBC Micros at that time, but it was every
> bit as proprietary and closed source as the iPhone.
>
> What I think is missing and could also be taught would be a bit
> more electronics.  It's not actually that hard to solder together
> a simple digital computer from parts, and I'm sure it would
> be both enjoyable and educational (although you have to take
> anything I say on the subject of what kids might find enjoyable
> with a large pinch of salt ...)
>
> There was a BBC news article about some kit computer recently.  It
> even runs FORTH :-)
> http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-13206756
> https://sites.google.com/site/libby8dev/fignition
>
> Rich.
>

Picture these scenarios:

1.- Young kid approaches friends shouting: "I just programmed an event
controller in FORTH, cross compiled for my Arduino project, all of
what I soldered all by myself "

2.- Young kid approaches friends shouting: "I just wrote this app that
makes your phone fart, do you want to have it?"

who is more likely to receive positive feedback on his endeavours? :-)

To me any exposure to technology is good news, I can't possibly get
depressed about that.
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