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Peter Byrne/PA Wire

The best time for a child to learn how to code? Wait until they're nine

Also, more than half of adults believe coding should be taught in primary and secondary schools.

CODING CONTINUES TO grow in popularity and for most adults, it’s believed that children as young as six should start learning it in schools.

In a survey carried out by Amárach Research which surveyed 1,000 adults on behalf of UPC, 70% believe that coding should be introduced to children at some stage between ages 6 to 12.

Of that group, the majority believed that the best ages for a child to start learning to code was when they are nine or ten years old.

When asked if coding should be introduced to schools, 54% said it should be incorporated in both primary and secondary level curriculums.

Understanding

While most are in favour of children learning how to code, their understanding wasn’t as great. Less than half of those surveyed said they had a good or very good understanding of what programming is, with the younger age groups – those aged between 25 and 34 – showing the most awareness.

Of those who were in the 55+ demographic, roughly 70% said they had a poor or uncertain understanding of coding.

More than four out of five people recognised Java as a computer language, followed by Javascript while almost a quarter recognised computer programming languages like C++ or SQL.

However, the majority were less familiar with languages like C, Python, PHP, C#, Ruby and Objective-C while one in ten didn’t recognise the name of any programming language.

Anna-Maria Barry, a UPC staff volunteer who helps run CoderDojo clubs and is Corporate Communications General Manager for UPC Ireland said the findings showed that there is a “significant appetite” for computer coding in schools.

An earlier survey from the same organisation found that one-third of people believed learning coding was more important than Irish while two-thirds felt that it was as important as learning mainstream subjects like Geography, History, Maths and English.

The research was carried out to mark Tech Week 2015 where the finals of the National Scratch Coding Competition are taking place today in Dublin Castle.

Read: The app that wants to help reduce your phone bill has arrived on iPhone >

Read: Apple could be forced to pay 10 years of back taxes to Ireland >

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34 Comments
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    Mute Charles McCarthy
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    Mar 24th 2018, 8:43 PM

    Step right up, pick a number folks, any number you like, are you gonna try the banks, the builders, the landlords, the revenue, the tenant, the council, an boad plan all! An unmitigated, unmanageable, unconscionable, mess and our elected officials dont seem any closer to resolving it. Its been years in the making and will takes years to fix.

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    Mute Brían Ó Cionnaith
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    Mar 25th 2018, 9:25 AM

    Provide Na Fianna direct access to the GAA facilities at The National Sports Campus Abbottstown whilst the works take place.

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    Mute Frank Lee
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    Mar 25th 2018, 9:57 AM

    We any closer to lynching the landlords or should I continue packing?? I mean come on lads…few quid on water & you are up in arms, being repeatedly screwed by the landlord class….nothing….

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    Mute Christopher Gibbons
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    Mar 25th 2018, 11:01 AM

    @Frank Lee: you obviously have no idea the costs involved in being an accidental landlord in negative equity. I suggest you educate yourself before making “off the cuff” remarks.

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    Mute Charles McCarthy
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    Mar 25th 2018, 11:09 AM

    @Frank Lee: Have a look-see Frank.
    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/rental-crisis-why-landlords-are-struggling-to-make-money-1.2430983
    Unless you think lynching legitimate property owners who pay ligitimate tax is a viable solution? I think the landlords your thinking about were in the last century.
    Don’t forget to pack a toothbrush.

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