If we accept that through design and programming we are teaching students (and ourselves) to solve problems we might also say that by teaching patterns to these problems and their solutions we are making even better problem solvers.

And I think, personally speaking, this may indeed be true. I find that because of my knowledge of design and solving design problems that it is easier to understand systems better. And not just abstract programming systems, any system I come across. By understanding what problems can afflict a system we get to better understand systems and their construction. Having a more global or absract knowledge of systems allows us to solve problems on a more abstract level. All of a sudden small "implementation details" do not matter so much anymore and we are freed from having to waste cycles thinking about them. Now are creative energy can be focused on solving more grandiose problems.

Which is good, because otherwise we (as a community) would still be writing Hello World, in its many incarnations. And if we cannot build bigger and better things what would define our humanity? Ahh, I go to far.

"Now are creative energy can be focused on solving more grandiose problems."

See, ya problem here, Shoe-dog, is that ya think ya'all cool by ta'king like a strange one but it is truly screwing wid' ya writing.

Mr. Chicago (Andrew)

Ya know I rally rasant dat you may tink dat I may nat know haw ta speek. It is cleer as da day to anywan who lissens ta me speek dat I aim a powit and a scaler.