Yesterday we posted a link to a terrific new video by code.org extolling the virtues of learning to program.

Despite the “learn to code” rhetoric, code.org is really about “computer science is cool” and “let’s make AP computer science universally available.”  “Coding” is used as a proxy for this.  And indeed, “coding” is a critical component of computer science / computational thinking, and it’s also the “hands-on inquiry-based vehicle” for teaching computer science / computational thinking.  But it’s not the entire story:  computer science / computational thinking is much more than coding.

What’s your best analogy?  For example:

Coding is to computer science as cinematography is to filmmaking.

Probably not perfect, but it captures some important aspects:

• Like coding, cinematography is intellectually substantive – definitely non-trivial.
• Like coding relative to computer science, cinematography is a critical component of filmmaking.
• Like coding relative to computer science, it’s something at which just about every filmmaker is skilled.
• But, like computer science relative to coding, filmmaking is much more than cinematography alone.
• Finally, this analogy is easy for the non-specialist to grasp – a policymaker, for example, will say “Oh, I get it.”

What are your best analogies?  Here are a few others to get your juices flowing – please add more as “comments” to this post!

Coding is to computer science as writing is to literature.

Coding is to computer science as drafting is to architecture.

Coding is to computer science as building telescopes is to astronomy.

Coding is to computer science as passing is to football.

Coding is to computer science as sewing is to clothing.

Coding is to computer science as planting is to landscaping.

Coding is to computer science as masonry is to home construction.

Let us hear from you!