FAQ's about Code

What is code, and why should I care?Kermit ISD is partnering with Code.org to provide more opportunities in computer science fields for our students. Currently, students at Kermit High School and Kermit Junior High have a few limited opportunities to experience learning in this much-needed field, but we are trying to expand. Through the Hour of Code event scheduled for 01/26/2015, we hope to give many more students the opportunity to investigate computer science learning.What is code?

"In computing, source code is any collection of computer instructions (possibly with comments) written using some human-readable computer language, usually as text. The source code of a program is specially designed to facilitate the work of computer programmers, who specify the actions to be performed by a computer mostly by writing source code. The source code is often transformed by a compiler program into low-level machine code understood by the computer. The machine code might then be stored for execution at a later time. Alternatively, an interpreter can be used to analyze and perform the outcomes of the source code program directly on the fly." Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_code

Why Should I Care about Code?

What is CODE.org?Launched in 2013, Code.org® is a non-profit dedicated to expanding participation in computer science by making it available in more schools, and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. Our vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. We believe computer science and computer programming should be part of the core curriculum in education, alongside other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses, such as biology, physics, chemistry and algebra.The Secret Agenda of CODE.org

Our organization is called Code.org, but our focus is on computer science. If we could fit EverySchoolShouldOfferComputerScience.org in one word, we’d do it. I believe most people don’t care about the difference between code and computer science. They just feel technology is passing them by quickly, and they don’t want their kids to suffer the same fate.

As a computer scientist, I know the coding languages we teach now may be out of date in 25 years. But the concepts are fundamental: conditionals, loops, abstraction, these concepts span all languages. I learned them 25 years ago, and they’re relevant today. That’s why our intro curriculum teaches these concepts with visual programming, without any language.For more info see, http://codeorg.tumblr.com/post/73963049605/the-secret-agenda-of-code-org

Why students in Grades K-12 need Computer Science Education

Computer science develops students’ computational and critical thinking skills and shows them how to create, not simply use, new technologies. This fundamental knowledge is needed to prepare students for the 21st century, regardless of their ultimate field of study or occupation.
Foundational computer science courses in K–12 teach the fundamental concepts of computing, much like a physics course teaches fundamental concepts around the laws of motion and energy.

The newAP computer science course under development focuses around seven big ideas at the core of computer science—creativity, abstraction, data, algorithms, programming, Internet and impact—that are fundamental to computer science, but applicable to analysis in many disciplines. Exerpted from:What_is_CS_and_Careers by Code.org