Related to my previous post, VentureBeat had a short article today about thegender and racial gap in computer science education. It reminded me of my own experience. I took computer science during the summer after my sophomore year of high school. I had to take it during the summer break, otherwise I’d lose my only elective during the regular school year (which I really wanted to keep for orchestra). There were only 2 girls in the class of 25. (Not surprisingly we ended up being partners for the final project.) There were no windows in the room, which exacerbated the ripe BO of a room full of teenage boys. All summer long, they blasted the same Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream album over and over (to this day I cannot stand any song on that album). I consider myself lucky to have spent the beautiful Virginia summer learning to code in a dark, airless, smelly room listening to Billy Corgan. My high school was focused on science & tech and I had opportunities that most kids can only dream of. But is this the hurdle we’re asking for kids who want to learn to code?
Related to my previous post, VentureBeat had a short article today about thegender and racial gap in computer science education. It reminded me of my own experience. I took computer science during the summer after my sophomore year of high school. I had to take it during the summer break, otherwise I’d lose my only elective during the regular school year (which I really wanted to keep for orchestra). There were only 2 girls in the class of 25. (Not surprisingly we ended up being partners for the final project.) There were no windows in the room, which exacerbated the ripe BO of a room full of teenage boys. All summer long, they blasted the same Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream album over and over (to this day I cannot stand any song on that album). I consider myself lucky to have spent the beautiful Virginia summer learning to code in a dark, airless, smelly room listening to Billy Corgan. My high school was focused on science & tech and I had opportunities that most kids can only dream of. But is this the hurdle we’re asking for kids who want to learn to code?