[FRIAM] coding versus music

[George Duncan]

I certainly agree with Ed. Coding does indeed suggest the final stage for a
particular language--should that colon instead be on a semi-colon. I would,
though, argue for  "algorithmic thinking" rather than "computational
thinking".

George Duncan
Emeritus Professor of Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University
georgeduncanart.com
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My art theme: Dynamic exposition of the tension between matrix order and
luminous chaos.

"Attempt what is not certain. Certainty may or may not come later. It may
then be a valuable delusion."
>From "Notes to myself on beginning a painting" by Richard Diebenkorn.

"It's that knife-edge of uncertainty where we come alive to our truest
power." Joanna Macy.




On Wed, Jan 27, 2021 at 2:53 PM Edward Angel <angel at cs.unm.edu> wrote:

> Going back to Dave’s original post, to me a big part of the issue is what
> is meant by “coding.” Unfortunately for manys in CS education, coding has
> come to refer only to the very last step in a complex process; namely,
> converting a final detailed set of instructions into computer code for a
> particular computer language. This is especially true of what as happened
> in the schools with programs that claim to teach coding and STEM. It’s why
> many of us prefer to use the term “computational thinking” when dealing
> with CS education.
>
> If coding is just the final step (which could be replaced by a machine, if
> not now but soon) then it would be orthogonal to all these other skills.
>
> Ed
> _______________________
>
> Ed Angel
>
> Founding Director, Art, Research, Technology and Science Laboratory
> (ARTS Lab)
> Professor Emeritus of Computer Science, University of New Mexico
>
> 1017 Sierra Pinon
> Santa Fe, NM 87501
> 505-984-0136 (home)   angel at cs.unm.edu
> 505-453-4944 (cell)  http://www.cs.unm.edu/~angel
>
> On Jan 27, 2021, at 10:41 AM, Prof David West <profwest at fastmail.fm>
> wrote:
>
> For a while now there has been a huge push to teach kids how to code.
> Ostensibly because it enhances skills like language, logic, and math; plus,
> "computer literacy" is essential in a world filled with computers.
>
> A study at MIT suggests that coding skill is orthogonal to reading skill
> and has little, if any, influence on development of logic/math skills.
>
> An article in the Journal of Neuroscience argues that if you want to
> increase the "skills and brainpower" of kids you should teach them music.
>
> I came across this information peripherally and have not read the specific
> research reported on. I *want* the reports to be accurate representation
> of the research because it confirms long held biases against the value of
> "computational thinking" and computer science as a fundamental knowledge
> domain.
>
> dave west
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