SuperSOLVRS — another after school program. Aren’t there enough of them already? The idea here is different. Our kids will need the problem-solving skills, frankly, to survive by the time that they get to their working age. Too dramatic? I don’t think so. The technological revolution is moving at an ever increasing rate.
Some politicians are pushing for massive regulations to limit things like robots and artificial intelligence. There are many ongoing studies about the impact of all kinds of technology on jobs and our economic well being. What will transpire with respect to government regulation and influence is unknown, and frankly it makes little difference to my argument and reason for starting SuperSOLVRS.
Do you remember when cell phones happened, that brick that worked in a car? That was in the 90’s. I looked it up and I don’t even remember IBM’s Simon smart phone — that was 1993. Now there are more smartphones than there are people in the world. We’re talking less than 25 years. BTW, the first iPhone was 2007, just 10 years ago.
Because no one knows what the future holds, it’s very important that we all hedge our bets. Or better, hedge our kid’s bets. Are there some fundamental skills that will be needed in all imaginable technology scenarios? Assuming no catastrophic events that would wipe us off the map, I think so.
Robots and other machines will require digital computers to make them work. Even non-mechanical devices will be run by computers. Is it enough to just stare at them in amazement and use them — in the same way kids now play video games? OR, should our kids learn about how all of that works — in principle (now kids have no clue) and in specifics, i.e., how to design and build the recipes (programs) that make it all work. (Huge demand for jobs here!)
The big question: Aren’t they getting that in schools? Sure, some of it, and there are attempts to add computational thinking into the curriculum. The problem is that they are few and far between. Also, even if adequate now can they change fast enough to keep up? Maybe, but with all of the existing regulations and bureaucratic inertia? Will that decrease in the future?
SuperSOLVRS will fill that void, and can change rapidly enough to “keep up”. I know, that’s easy to say, but that’s my dedicated goal — and I happen to have a unique background, growing up and being a professional player throughout the life of the entire computer industry.
Will your kids be professional roboticists, computer programmers, or engineers? Who knows, but is that really important? What’s key is that they understand the basics, and to appreciate the limits and capabilities of what these mechanical and electronic devices can do and are really capable of. Lots of problems to solve and a combination of thinking and computer calculations can possibly solve them all.
SuperSOLVRS is the start your kids need.