“A Choice to Compute”
I was fortunate enough to give a brief and personal perspective yesterday of the reasons behind the decline in programmers over recent years, and primary and secondary schools lack of computing and replacing it with what is commonly termed ICT. It was well received, especially despite it being a criticism of ICT in school and the Games Industry (essentially the people I was giving the speech to), the aim was to seek help and inspire those two institutions that will undoubtedly benefit in the long run to get involved now, before the situation worsens.
Even better several school teachers I talked to at the event are keen to give programming a try, a lot of them were keen to, they just needed that extra push. So hopefully I will be working along side some local primary and secondary schools to get computing back in to the classrooms, even if it’s not in the curriculum.
The lecture is currently being filmed and recorded for radio and will be on the internet soon.
The key points of the the speech were.
REMOVAL OF CHOICE – In the 1980′s we were given a choice when you turned on a home computer, immediately you could either load up some one elses software or become a programmer yourself. Slowly over time that has been replaced by an operating system which although not entirely removes the choice to program, it makes it considerably harder to do. Whereas with a modern computer you have to go through about 14 complex steps to start programming, compared with something like the BBC Micro you simply turn it on and start programming. If you are not given access or even aware that you could have access what are the chances you will even think about it.
INSTANT CULTURE – Time has changed, things are moving faster, computers are faster and we want faster results. Whereas computing much like literature and music is a craft and takes time to perfect. Adding to this is the cultural belief you have to be a genius and brilliant at Maths to program is often off putting and stifles peoples attempts even before they start. Whereas during the 80′s the idea of being a programmer was so ubiquitous that newsagents shelves were brimming with computer and games magazines and books, ready to teach you to take that first step. How many magazines directed at the games industry show you a coding example nowadays?
GAME ENGINES AND NEUTRALISER – For those users who want to create, the industry has provided you with a system allowing you to alter an existing framework, instead of a creative outlet it is merely a means of neutralising ideas and adding them to the existing cache of an existing product. Effectively preventing new separate ideas and assimilating them. Although not completely bad these do allow an access point for later teens, but as most of the games that allow this access are for the late teen age range due to their content they are out of reach for younger children.
PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION – In Language we are taught to read and then write, so that we might reproduce what we have read or write creatively. In Music we listen, and learn to play to either reproduce what we have heard or make music creatively. Yet when we are taught about computers instead of learning the fundamental building blocks of the system like letters or notes in language and music, we jump too far ahead and learn how to simply use word processors or art programs. If we do use computers creatively it’s for a transposition of skils like writing, or art or music instead of generating a wholly new one of computing itself.
RECLAIMING THAT CHOICE – Despite this their are an number of situations where people especially those in Asia are so desperate to program they are willing to break copyright law, in a reproduction NES system referred to as the PLAYPOWER system. Although the machine itself is out of patent, the BASIC software is not. The machines retail at around $10 and are being used to teach the basics of computing to an entirely new generation of users. Think about it, a machine over 20 years old is being reproduced to allow for a basic understanding of computing whereas in the west we have arguably computers far superior we are simply ignoring the potential.
GET INVOLVED – From as early a 5 years old I would strongly recommend people get involved in computing, we teach them Maths, English which are arguably simply more established technologies, why not teach them programming. They are going to grow up around computers, and in fact they already have. Start small, it does not have to be a major complex game, it can be something silly and usually the sillier the better. It can take as little as 30 minutes to teach children integer, variables, loops and conditions you just have to try. As once they have the concept that computers can be used to illustrate ideas, and they have access to controlling it, you will have no shortage of brilliant ideas from them. There are very simple languages and pieces of software available like Squeak and Scratch, even things like Game Maker are brilliant as they allow you edit code.
Very pleased to announce I will be performing at this years Vintage Computer Festival at The National Museum of Computing, Bletchley Park on June 19th and 20th, 2010. Check back to the sight nearer the times for the performances, however I am sure I will be on hand showing people around some of my favorite machines in the best computer museum ever. Bring the whole family!
