Coding at early ages provides life-long benefits

By Gozde Bayar

ANKARA (AA) – Learning how to code at earlier ages makes children more self-confident, result-oriented and creative, according to Turkish experts.

Children not only learn how to code, but they also improve their personal skills, sociologist Esra Keskin at Istanbul-based coding academy Maker Codes, told Anadolu Agency.

“When children create their own games and robotics, it boosts their self-confidence and happiness, satisfies their ambitions, and enhances creativity,” Keskin said.

They became more result-oriented individuals after receiving one to two years of coding education and became good at time management and algorithmic thinking as well, she added.

Volkan Keskin, the co-founder of Maker Codes, stressed that children who learn how to code also make progress in mathematics.

“Coding improves the children’s ability to do analytical thinking which eventually leads them to learn mathematics fast,” said Volkan.

Esra noted that learning how to code not only positively affects academic studies but also the private lives of the children.

The earlier we encourage children for analytical thinking, the more productive they become, she said.

“Children around the world start coding at age 3 and robotics at age 5,” she said, adding that the number of neurons in the brain decrease as we grow, which slows down the learning process.

“Families are aware of the importance of coding,” he said, giving examples of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates who encountered technology at early ages.

- Robotic technologies

“We are surrounded by devices controlled by computers such as fridges, vacuum cleaners and ovens,” Volkan Keskin said, speaking on the future of the robotic technologies.

“Without knowing how to use the Internet of Things, we will be unable to maintain our daily life,” he added.

Even as technology becomes more affordable and internet access seems increasingly ubiquitous, Keskin said some children are hesitant to use technology.

“Our motivation is to spread coding, science and technology in the areas where the schools are insufficient,” he said.

Praising all the efforts made for spreading coding education, he said the government has been carrying out successful projects including technology workshops in Turkey.

“However, we need more standardization in instructors,” the co-founder of Maker Codes stressed.