Coding and creativity are often seen as disparate things, but the two actually have more in common than we may think.
A plan has emerged from Japan to make coding mandatory for all elementary school students in 2020. As the article states, “Programming is defined as creating software programs that work in the way intended by programmers. Many teaching materials are available that can help children learn as if they were playing games, including those that control the motions of characters and building blocks”. And although this plan is meant to encourage more Japanese schoolchildren to embrace coding, other countries can learn to follow suit to shift perspectives on coding and creativity.
Coding is For Everyone
Programs that focus on teaching children coding and other STEM-specific skills have many benefits. In the long run, they boost interest and passion for these fields to create more demand for these fields. But more than that, there’s a real connection between allowing coders to see the entertainment within the work they do.
Coding may not have the immediate artistic appeal of art or music, but it can still be a valuable creative outlet. It’s also seen to affect adults – humanities-studied university students are more adaptable to learning how to code because their training allows the focus to be on problem solving, flexibility, and jumpstarting unique interest.
To reach its full potential, coding should be seen as something that is accessible to everyone, creatives and programmers alike. This gives the STEM field access to a variety of individuals, all with new ideas and strengths that will help the industry move forward. And this cross-industry appeal won’t just positively affect STEM fields – they affect virtually every industry.
Fostering creativity through code may be a challenge to some, but it’s an exciting one with a lot of positive long-term appeal. Examine how code and creativity can come together in your own life, and watch that influence reach out to others in your life.