What if I … ?

What If I…?

These are my favorite three words uttered by our students.  My answer is almost always the same:  “let’s find out.”

Computer programming gives students the unique ability to not only ponder about “what ifs”, but to immediately put them into action.  What if I change the order of these code blocks?  What if I change “Enderman” in this code to “EnderDragon”? (Minecraft lingo if you’re not aware)  Students can make the changes, run the program, and gain instantaneous feedback to move forward.

When students ask these types of questions I know they’re on the right track.  It means they’re engaged in what we’re doing.  It means they’re being creative.  It’s probably a good indicator of their ability to solve problems in the future.

What if I…?  Do it.  Let’s find out.