Greenville Technical College introduced a group of 38 students to computer programming and advanced manufacturing through a 10-week CoderDojo club, which began in March and finished in May. This free program is in place worldwide, with 550 clubs in 55 countries including 115 U.S. locations.
The majority of the students came from grades sixth through eighth, with three of the participants coming from the ninth grade. They learned coding with the help of a Raspberry Pi, a small, hand-held, credit card sized type of computer. Each participant programmed the device using Scratch, a free tool that helps young people learn coding. The Raspberry Pi’s were purchased with funds provided by the Duke Energy Foundation grant, which underwrote the club’s launch and will continue to fund the project for three years.
Club activities were supervised by faculty and volunteer coaches, creating a ratio of one coach for every five students. Activities included learning the basics of coding, developing websites, and exploring technology.
The CoderDojo club plays a strong role in improving the pipeline of qualified job seekers for employers. A 2012 SC Department of Education survey of students in grades 8th through 12th showed that career interest in information technology ranked 11 out of 16 cluster choices, while manufacturing was ranked even lower at 14. This illustrates just how critical it is to South Carolina’s advanced manufacturing industry, which leads our economy, for young people to be encouraged to pursue careers in this area, so that future jobs will be filled and the skills gap can be narrowed.
CoderDojo introduces students and families to the often unfamiliar world of advanced manufacturing, where information technology and robotics rule the production floor, and workers have a solid foundation in STEM skills. It changes misconceptions about these careers, which are often more pronounced among women and minorities, and it allows low income and disadvantaged students to see opportunities for success beyond the familiar.
Partners in the CoderDojo club, led by GTC’s Professor Mary Locke, included Principal Dr. Tiffany Estes of Greenville County Early College, Jasmine Elrod and Susi Smith of Communities in Schools, and the University Center of Greenville, which provided meeting space.
Another club session begins September 22, with meetings extending until December 1. Forty students from Legacy Charter School will participate. Eventually, Locke hopes to have several clubs meeting simultaneously and to grow the program to include 280 students or more.