Why Most Coding Courses Fail to Teach Programming
The vast majority of coding courses and bootcamps focus on teaching the syntax of a particular programming language, but this is not the same as teaching programming. The syntax, standard library, idiomatic style, type system, and build tool are all important, but they only make up a small part of what a programmer actually does. Most courses and bootcamps fail to teach the deeper skills that are necessary for a programmer to be effective, such as how a system goes together, where the seams are, what data flows where, and which decisions are cheap to change next month and which are load-bearing for the life of the codebase.
This failure to teach the deeper skills of programming is a result of the fact that most courses and bootcamps are designed to be short-term and focused on getting students up to speed quickly. They prioritize teaching the syntax of a language over teaching the underlying principles of programming, and as a result, students are left with a shallow understanding of programming that is not sufficient to prepare them for the real-world challenges they will face.
The consequences of this failure are significant. Students who complete these courses and bootcamps may be able to write code, but they are not able to design and build complex systems, and they are not able to think critically about the code they write. They are limited to being translators, converting human language into machine-readable text, rather than being programmers who can design and build systems.
The Unseen Mechanics of Programming
So what is it that most coding courses and bootcamps fail to teach? It is the unseen mechanics of programming, the underlying principles and concepts that are necessary to design and build complex systems. This includes things like mechanical empathy, an honest mental model of the machine underneath, and the historical context that explains why systems are shaped the way they are.
It also includes the ability to read code, to trace data through multiple layers of someone else’s design choices, and to form hypotheses about why a bug is happening and then test those hypotheses. These are the skills that are necessary to be a programmer, and they are the skills that are most often overlooked in coding courses and bootcamps.
Furthermore, the rise of AI-powered coding tools has not changed the fact that programming requires these deeper skills. While these tools can generate plausible code, they do not replace the need for a programmer to understand the underlying principles of programming. In fact, they can even make it more difficult for programmers to develop these skills, as they can rely on the tool to generate code rather than learning to think critically about the code they write.
Who Wins and Who Loses in the Coding Education Market
So who wins and who loses in the coding education market? The winners are the companies that provide coding courses and bootcamps that focus on teaching the syntax of a particular language. These companies can quickly and easily teach students the basics of programming, and they can do so at a relatively low cost. As a result, they are able to attract a large number of students and generate significant revenue.
The losers, on the other hand, are the students who complete these courses and bootcamps. While they may be able to write code, they are not able to design and build complex systems, and they are not able to think critically about the code they write. As a result, they are limited in their career prospects and are often unable to compete with programmers who have a deeper understanding of programming principles.
Additionally, the companies that hire these students also lose. While they may be able to get a programmer up to speed quickly, they are not able to get a programmer who can design and build complex systems. As a result, they are limited in their ability to innovate and compete in the market.
The Skeptical Case: What Could Go Wrong
One potential criticism of the argument that most coding courses and bootcamps fail to teach programming is that it is too pessimistic. Perhaps, the argument goes, these courses and bootcamps are simply a necessary step in the learning process, and students will naturally develop the deeper skills of programming over time.
However, this argument is not supported by the evidence. Studies have shown that students who complete coding courses and bootcamps are not able to develop the deeper skills of programming without additional training and practice. Furthermore, the rise of AI-powered coding tools has made it more difficult for programmers to develop these skills, as they can rely on the tool to generate code rather than learning to think critically about the code they write.
The Next Verifiable Event: A Shift in the Coding Education Market
So what is the next verifiable event in the coding education market? It is a shift towards teaching the deeper skills of programming. As companies and students begin to realize the limitations of coding courses and bootcamps that focus on teaching the syntax of a particular language, they will begin to demand more comprehensive training programs that teach the underlying principles of programming.
This shift will be driven by the growing demand for programmers who can design and build complex systems, and it will be driven by the increasing recognition of the importance of programming principles in the development of AI-powered coding tools. As a result, companies that provide coding courses and bootcamps will need to adapt and begin teaching the deeper skills of programming, or they will be left behind.
What’s your take on this? Drop your perspective in the comments below.
By Alex Mercer, Senior Tech Analyst at TrendFlashy
Ready to launch your own asset?
Check out our guide on Building a Profitable Online Business.
