Student participation rises in industry-led Hour of Code during Computer Science Week

JACOB DELISE,  a student at the Warwick Career & Technical program, is shown working on a program during the Hour of Code initiative recently.  / COURTESY TECH COLLECTIVE
JACOB DELISE, a student at the Warwick Career & Technical program, is shown working on a program during the Hour of Code initiative recently. / COURTESY TECH COLLECTIVE

PROVIDENCE – Twenty-six elementary, middle and high schools participated in the recent Computer Science Week, where, through the “Hour of Code,” students learned computer coding.

According to Tech Collective, the state’s information technology and bioscience industry association, 2,251 students were introduced to the Hour of Code, 1,000 more than last year, with 17 schools new to the initiative.

In addition, 31 volunteers from 19 companies, organizations and post-secondary institutions provided instruction, a news release from Tech Collective said.

Hour of Code events were held during Computer Science Education Week, from Dec. 7 to 13.
For Hour of Code events organized by Tech Collective, industry volunteers were matched with educators and classrooms across the state. Volunteers led a coding tutorial/activity they selected for the students, and activities were tailored to grade and experience level.
Computer programming basics were shown featuring Minecraft, Disney’s Frozen and Star Wars themes, while advanced-level programming using JavaScript and Python also was taught.
Hour of Code is a global effort organized by Code.org.
“Every student should have the opportunity to learn computer science. It helps nurture problem-solving skills, logic and creativity. By starting early, students will have a foundation for success in any 21st-century career path,” Code.org states on its website.

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Code.org is projecting that there will be 1 million times more computing jobs than computer science students in 2020. It also said that computer science is a top-paying college degree and computer programming jobs are growing at twice the national average.
The nonprofit organization also said that 57 percent of bachelor’s degrees are earned by women, but only 12 percent of computer science degrees are awarded to women.
Said JoAnn Johnson, manager of youth and education programs for Tech Collective, “The Hour of Code offers students the opportunity to see the connection between classroom learning, the real world, and their future. This type of initiative engages students early on in STEM and exposes them to how in-demand these types of careers are and the opportunities that are available to achieve them.”

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