Code Literacy. Understanding the programmed world

My study takes a look at digital technologies and the ways they are affecting our lives. The main premise in my study is that we need basic understanding about digital technologies in order to be in control of them. Digital technologies differ from analogue technologies in that they are always programmed. We are left in unequal position where we are divided between those who can pro-gram and those who can’t. My study is a theoretical study and is in five parts. In the first part I cover some of the most basic ideas in programming: binary systems, programming languages and basic components of comput-ers. In the second part I take a look at some biases that affect how we use computers. Third part focuses more on the cultural background and some ideologies concerning programming and digi-tal technologies. In the fourth part I offer some insights into digital technology and conclude my study. Fifth part of my study is a separate book that offers practical tips for schools, both for teach-ers and students to learn programming and in understanding the core concepts of digital technol-ogies. The fifth part is written in Finnish. Main sources in my study were: Carr, Nicholas: The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains, 2011, Ceruzzi, Paul E.: Computing: A concise history, 2012 Lanier, Jaron: You are not a gadget, 2010, Petzold, Charles: Code, The hidden language of computer Hardware and Software, 2009, Rushkoff, Douglas : Program or be programmed, ten commandments for digital age, Stei-ner, Christopher: Automate this and Turkle, Sherry : Alone Together:Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other, 2011. Although many other sources were used in order to reach more extensive understanding of the subject. One of the main challenges in my study was in composing general overview of large and compli-cated subject matter. This naturally is essential in my study as one of the study’s goals is to democ-ratise digital technologies by bringing general understanding of digital technologies to everyone. My main conclusion in this study is that we digital technologies are changing our world rapidly. Digital technologies are part of our everyday life, our digital self, or virtual extensions of our body. Because of this we do need to be code literate in order to gain control of ourselves in digital realm