Coding in the AI Era: 5 Inspiring Course Checks

RAISE GENIUS · ARTICLES & LEARNING

Should Children Still Learn Coding in the AI Era?

Coding in the AI era still matters because a learner needs to describe a task, check whether a result is right and respond when it fails. The article’s aim is systematic thinking and understanding, rather than memorising syntax or accepting generated code without testing it.

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Why coding in the AI era still has a purpose

The original article compares coding with using a calculator: a tool can produce an answer, but the person still needs enough understanding to judge it. AI-generated code that runs is not automatically correct.

Three responsibilities remain with the learner. First, break a problem into steps and give clear instructions. Second, inspect the result and decide what to test. Third, take responsibility for a robot, game or system when its behaviour is wrong.

The source links this to the computational-thinking purpose of Thailand’s computing curriculum: analysing and solving problems systematically. Coding is a tool for practising that thinking, rather than a requirement that every child become a professional programmer.

The school profile in the article describes fifteen years of operation and more than 12,530 learners at the time of publication. These are the source’s figures, not newly audited or updated totals.

Five checks for coding in the AI era

1. Does the child write and change code personally, rather than only watch or copy? A quick generated result alone does not show that the child has practised the reasoning.

2. Does the teacher ask why the code was written that way? A learner’s explanation helps reveal understanding.

3. Are there bugs to investigate? Testing a failed program and finding its cause encourages checking rather than automatically trusting an answer.

4. Is there a tangible outcome, such as a playable game or a robot following instructions? The result connects code with observable behaviour.

5. Is the group small enough for the teacher to follow each child’s work? Ask how the teacher notices and supports a learner who falls behind.

Use these five checks with any provider, including Raise Genius. They describe what to look for in learning, not a guarantee that a particular group format produces the same result for every child.

Compare three ways to learn

Having AI write code can make an idea quick to try, but a beginner may struggle to assess or repair it. Recorded video lessons offer flexible timing and may cost less, while the learner needs a way to handle problems without immediate individual feedback.

Live lessons in a small group allow a teacher to see a learner’s screen, answer questions and adjust teaching. They require an agreed attendance time and can cost more than recorded material.

The source describes Raise Genius’s live-online approach: Minecraft Education from age six, twelve two-hour lessons and one to four learners per teacher, starting with blocks and moving towards Python through missions. It quotes a regular fee of THB 9,000 with occasional promotions. Confirm current fees, format, readiness and availability before enrolling.

Four stages in coding in the AI era

Ages 7-9: practise short sequences with blocks and missions before rushing to use AI. The goal is to notice cause and effect. The source separately describes Minecraft entry from age six, subject to readiness.

Ages 10-12: write programs, investigate bugs and begin moving from blocks to text such as Python when appropriate. AI can be used to ask for explanations, while the child remains responsible for testing and changes. The related Roblox page concerns upper-primary/lower-secondary game making.

Lower secondary: use AI as a helper on more complex sensor, IoT or robotics projects, while being able to explain the code. The article names IOTBot & AI and Raise Maker/Arduino as examples, with fourteen two-hour lessons and a quoted regular fee of THB 9,900. Confirm current terms with the team.

Upper secondary: document work that the learner actually made and can explain. For engineering or computing applications, a portfolio should show the process, tests and decisions. The university sets its own admissions requirements; a course or project does not guarantee admission.

Warning signs and useful next questions

The original article flags promises to become a programmer in only a few lessons, lessons where children never write their own code, and a lack of questions checking understanding.

Ask to see how a teacher uses a mission, an explanation and a bug to guide learning. If AI gives an incorrect answer tomorrow, can the learner point to the problem and explain what to test?

Use the English course guide, Minecraft, Roblox, IOTBot/AI and portfolio pages to discuss a suitable next step. Some further articles are currently available only in Thai. The English course and portfolio pages provide related starting points.

Frequently asked questions

Should children learn coding when AI can write it?

The article argues yes: children need to describe a task, test results and correct mistakes. Writing and debugging code helps develop the understanding needed to assess generated output.

Can coding help a child use AI more thoughtfully?

Practising sequences and debugging gives a child ways to describe a problem and check an answer. It does not make AI output automatically correct; the child still needs to test it.

At what age can learning begin?

The article describes blocks and short missions around ages six-seven, with Minecraft Education entry from age six. Readiness and the currently offered programme should be discussed with the teacher.

How do live and recorded lessons differ?

Live teaching can provide screen-based feedback and immediate questions at an agreed time. Recorded lessons are flexible but require another way to support the child when a problem arises.

What fees and lesson counts does the article quote?

It quotes regular online fees around THB 9,000-9,900 for twelve-fourteen two-hour lessons, with one-four learners per teacher in the Minecraft example. Confirm current prices, inclusions and schedules directly.

Contact and related pages

Tell the team about the learner or organisation, relevant experience and the intended learning purpose. Confirm the current programme, equipment, availability, schedule and fees before booking.

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Curriculum reference: IPST computing education (Thai).