Computer Science is one of the fields of study that can easily be applied for use in other disciplines. Most people are introduced to the discipline through coding, a skill some tech entrepreneurs like Bill Gates encourage people to learn. It is no lie that this skill is what can easily land someone a lucrative job, lead to the next big tech unicorn, or even help humanities students distribute their work to a wider audience. There are dozens of benefits that come with coding both psychologically and financially, but does it mean these students should learn the skill? I don’t think they should. I feel like the phrasing of the question is problematic as it entails that humanities students are required to learn how to code. It will obviously be beneficial for them to learn the skill although it doesn’t dismiss the fact that there are some humanities disciplines (like performing arts) that don’t require coding. Additionally, programmers can be hired if really needed. It can be argued that students must learn to code if programmers are expensive to find. If that’s the case, then it’s equally true to argue that they don’t need to code if they have the money to hire programmers.
The “discipline” of computer science is made up of a diverse collection of different areas of work with discourses as mutually unintelligible as those of Judaic studies and film theory
“A ‘Hello World’ Apart (Why Humanities Students Should NOT Learn to Program).” HASTAC, https://www.hastac.org/blogs/evan-donahue/2010/05/28/hello-world-apart-why-humanities-students-should-not-learn-program. Accessed 25 Sept. 2022.
In this statement, Donahue is pointing out that there are way more applications of computer sciences in the humanities that have nothing to do with coding. Although coding is essential, it is only one element in the field. Therefore, it should not be required but encouraged.
I started learning how to code in 10th grade when some of my friends introduced me to HTML and CSS. At the time we built three-page websites, which were not interactive because we never knew JavaScript. I remembered I learned JavaScript basics during the summer of 10th grade but it was all in vain because I never applied it to any project. 11th and 12th grade was the time I was introduced to C, which I used to make a calendar (that I actually used for a while), a guessing game, a die simulation, and other small fun projects. After high school, I interned at a tech company where I learned how to use the Ionic framework for user interface design. The most important lesson from that internship was that it’s important to learn a programming language while applying it to a project simultaneously. Fast forward to Carleton, I have learned Python, Flask, and other cool technologies from a couple of CS classes.
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<h1> Should Humanities Students Learn to Code? </h1>
<p> It will obviously be beneficial for them to learn the skill although it doesn't dismiss the fact that there are some humanities disciplines (like performing arts) that don't require coding. Additionally, programmers can be hired if really needed. </p>
<p> What do you think? </p>
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</html>3 thoughts on “Should Humanities Students Learn to Code?”
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I completely agree with your essay, I especially like the part in which you mention the collaboration between programmers and humanities scholars. In addition, I also believe that there are many non coding related tech tools, such as 3D modeling tools, autotune, wordpress, tableau can be essential for the research and publishing of humanities students. I wonder what do you think about those?
It is indeed true that the phrasing of the question is problematic as it seems like it’s trying to convey that coding must be a requirement. Surely, let alone programming, any subject must not be forced onto anyone in my opinion. Because some people’s personalities just do not fit certain subjects/fields. Also, as you mentioned, programmers can be hired if needed. Though, it could be possible that a programmer will never be able to design, for example, a website for us in the same way that we would. Because it might be not to easy to communicate our needs to the programmer. What do you think?
I agree! I think its a bit of a stretch to say that Coding is “necessary” for humanities students, but it certainly can be useful. Not everyone is going use coding, but in a digital era its helpful to understand some of the underlying mechanics behind coding. It is just easier to work and communicate with people if you understand the “how” and “why”.