Motivation of secondary school students to study programming

Abstract. The ways to motivate students of educational organizations to study programming both in computer science lessons and in extracurricular activities are discussed and analyzed in the methodological recommendations. The author substantiates the need to develop an algorithmic type of thinking and gain programming skills among people living in a modern digital society, regardless of age, social status, previously acquired skills. Vivid examples of the use of programming in everyday life are given, which convince of the benefits of developing elementary programming skills. The main focus of the methodological recommendations is directed to the consideration of various ways of motivating secondary school students to learn programming. Informatics lessons in secondary school, being the main starting point for studying the subject, are considered as the basis for developing students’ interest in the subject in general, and its biggest, difficult, but integral component, programming, in particular. The article offers several recommendations for organizing the activities of teachers and students in the classroom and in extracurricular activities to generate interest in this section of the school subject. The motives that encourage secondary school students to learn programming are also considered. Arguments are given in favor of the development of a motivational component in the field of programming for the period of preschool and primary school education.

Keywords: programming, informatics, studying, motivation.