did DIY programming actually die?
I'd claim it didn't. What actually changed was:
1: easy availability of prebuilt software for every popular platform removed the *need* to program just to use a computer
2: (1) drove massive sales to the majority that don't enjoy programming, that would not have used computers otherwise
Youngsters didn't stop learning to program, they just got massively outnumbered by the computer owning hordes that never would have learned it. Just throwing the opportunity at more of them won't magically get major change, DIY and self taught programming never went away, in fact it got easier and cheaper as the non-programming masses pushed down the price of both hardware and software. There just aren't that many of us that want to do it in a world with an endlessly increasing demand.
The only way RPI can help is if it drives educators to try harder. That's probably only good for training up large numbers of low end coders for the grindingly dull stuff we all hate though.