Computer programming is a foreign language(?)

[funkymonkey]

Originally Posted by Zoidberg

If they speak the same computer language as me, I absolutely can communicate with them, even if only one of us speaks English.

Do explain. I have yet to ever see geeks communicate in C++

[ABQConvict]

Zoidberg, I appreciate the logic of your argument, but do you really think that computer language is a viable substitute for human language?

I am sure European and Asian high schools and colleges are managing to teach both computer programming and human language.

What is the fundamental cognitive failing in American students that is making for a convincing argument that we must substitute one for the other?

[Merlander]

Maybe the Congressman is just looking for a practical way to get more students to study programming. I seriously doubt he (or anyone) believes that a computer language is a "language" in the way that Spanish and German are, he's only talking about credit substitution. More important though is figuring out how to get students to retain the programming and language skills they learn as children.

[nmguy]

I'm a retired high school Spanish teacher who always felt that learning the culture of the Spanish-speaking people was just as important as learning the language. To me, that's one difference between learning a foreign language and learning computer programming.

[funkymonkey]

Another thing to consider is that most colleges aren't going to look at a computer science or programming class as a foreign language. If the college requires foreign language in high school, those students who took programming may not get admitted or may need to take a foreign language anyway.

[Poncho_NM]

Originally Posted by funkymonkey

If the college requires foreign language in high school, those students who took programming may not get admitted or may need to take a foreign language anyway.

They might exist, but I do not recall any college which required a foreign language in high school...

[funkymonkey]

Originally Posted by Poncho_NM

They might exist, but I do not recall any college which required a foreign language in high school...

They do in fact exist, and include such names as Stanford, MIT and Princeton
Foreign Language Requirement - Learn About Foreign Language Requirements for College Admissions
Colleges.com, college search, undergraduate search

[lurtsman]

I think it is a great idea. I would have put much more effort into learning that. I was required to take programming in college, and when the "easy" course was a complete load of trash, I took the difficult course for engineering majors. Now, I find that I use the knowledge much more than I thought would.