Coding for Kindergarteners?
Now that AI can code, it’s anticipated that entry-level coding jobs will disappear. That hasn’t happened yet, although programmers are expected to be more productive and creative now that AI can do the grunt work. What has happened is an increase in the hiring of software engineers. During the last year, Anthropic led the pack with a 150% increase in software engineers, with OpenAI, META, Google, and others also adding programmers.
Whatever happens to entry-level jobs, competition for top talent will remain high, and bidding wars for top programmers are now higher than ever. Many tech company’ pay packages include stock bonuses and sign-on bonuses. Semafor recently reported that META has offered a $250,000,000 five-year package. Perhaps programmers will become like professional athletes; not everyone will make it to the pros, but those that do will make it big. So should students still learn to code? Yes, including the AI that makes it easier. Coding teaches logic and develops perseverance. Most students find it fun and feel empowered. Even if students do not pursue coding as a career, all citizens should have a basic understanding of computer science and coding so they can understand current events and be part of the 21st-century conversation.
The first link below takes you to a brief article on how to start the youngest students coding, even if you know nothing about coding yourself. You can learn along with the kids. Code.org, Tynker, and other sites are always updating and adding new material, often tied to the latest kid fads.
Article: Coding for Kindergarteners? Absolutely
List of other coding sites for children
Students show up for school when there is a Makerspace
Makerspaces are the crown jewels of schools. There are many reasons to have a makerspace at an elementary school. Makerspaces let students pursue their passions. They teach children to fail forward. Makerspaces are great for English Learners as they involve hands-on learning. Makerspaces develop the 4Cs: communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. Makerspaces teach problem-solving through experience. Perhaps the best reason is the simplest; kids like them and will come to school so they can tinker in them.
The link below takes you to a true story about the development of a makerspace at a Title I elementary.
This next link is to an academic article on the educational theories that support a makerspace as a tool for student learning.
Academic Article HERE: Hard Fun
Understanding AI
AI, Artificial Intelligence, has entered conversations throughout society. Teachers worry that students will use AI to cheat instead of learn. Labor unions worry that AI will take away jobs. Deep fakes created with AI have promoted misinformation and damaged reputations. Some worry that AI will destroy humanity.
Meanwhile, scientists recently won several Nobel Prizes for inventions made possible through AI. Your doctor and dentist are probably using AI, as spectacular advances in medicine have occurred thanks to artificial intelligence. AI is used in everything from farming vegetables to saving whales to writing music. AI agents organize our lives and run our digital errands. Tech companies continue to pour billions of dollars into AI research and development. Businesses have adopted AI even faster than expected. Nations are competing to win the AI race for national security reasons.
Like it or hate it, AI is here to stay, and we must all adapt to that reality.
If you want to catch up on the AI debate, here are links to help. The first link explains how AI works, as described by AI itself. The second link explains AI in layman’s terms, gives the history of AI in the crucial first year after the release of ChatGPT, and highlights the debate over its safety. The third link goes to a list of articles released during the first year after AI went public, the next link is a list of articles about duringits second year when businesses adopted AI, for better or worse, and the final link covers AI’s recent activities, including AI’s use in education.
How AI Works: AI as Explained by AI
AI in Layman’s Terms: Artificial Intelligence: The Debate
AI Headlines Year 3: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRRC7-Rk3zDUydo9lWLQ_YT17vU2B1srUjOzy1PHzJKFNN7HCfs43xMjfXzQ_1eVcaay_cxwKnDGOkX/pub
Gemini Storybook
Google’s AI, Gemini, has new tool that is easy and fun called Storybook.
Article: Storybook
Stem-Press 