LLU Live #7: Programming as a “foreign language”

(image credit: fake bokeh robot, © CC BY-NC 2.0 by Balakov)

Late last month, Edutopia (the official website of the George Lucas Educational Foundation) published an article advocating four separate ideas:

1. programming languages can be equated with foreign languages;
2. “programming” is THE global language;
3. coding should be a required part of the college curriculum; and
4. coding should be taught in place of foreign languages.

This is absolutely not the first time this viewpoint has been publicized; there is a long history of assuming that because both disciplines use the word “language” that the two are similar, or even interchangable. Interestingly enough, that interchangability only seems to go one way, with plenty of people arguing that programming can replace Spanish (for example), but nobody suggesting Spanish should or can replace programming …

Anyway, during today’s live broadcast at 4pm Eastern, we’ll discuss the idea of programming as a foreign language. (Spoiler alert! I have strong feelings about this topic.) Instructions for participating and/or watching are available on the Live Events page, and the recording of the session will be available here shortly after we wrap up. I hope to see you all this afternoon!