How Teaching Programming Across Disciplines Can Instil Systems Thinking

Leo Riviera; Maeve Murphy Quinlan; Rebecca L. Colquhoun; Devanjan Bhattacharya

doi:10.2218/ED.9781836450795

How Teaching Programming Across Disciplines Can Instil Systems Thinking

Authors

Leo Riviera

Voxa

Maeve Murphy Quinlan

Research Computing, University of Leeds

Rebecca L. Colquhoun

Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College London

Devanjan Bhattacharya

WARSHARE, School of Social and Political Science, University of Edinburgh; MagIC, Nova Information Management School, Universidade Nova de Lisboa

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2218/ED.9781836450795.13

Synopsis

Starting with the purpose and function of the university as an institution, this chapter takes you on a journey through the benefits of learning to program from a systems thinking perspective. If systems thinking is a new concept for you, you will find an intriguing introduction and a new way of looking at programming and the wider world (i.e., systems).

For many readers, this will answer the question of why it is a worthwhile endeavour to teach students programming skills (that they may not use again). As a teaching resource, this chapter would be excellent compulsory reading for students and a starting point for discussion-based tutorials.