Category: organization

About Technovation Challenge « Iridescent

Technovation Challenge is the largest and longest-running global technology competition exclusively for girls to inspire the pursuit of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).

In Technovation, girls work in teams to develop innovative mobile apps that solve problems in their local communities. Girls are supported by an advisor at their school or community site, as well as women mentors from the technology industry who teach them the basics of coding, user-interface design, market research and entrepreneurship. The program culminates in a World Pitch event each spring, where regional finalists compete to win $10,000 in funding for their app.

via About Technovation Challenge « Iridescent.

Code-to-Learn Foundation

THE CODE-TO-LEARN FOUNDATION PROMOTES

computational fluency for everyone. The Foundation supports projects that engage young people in learning through coding, enabling them to develop as creative thinkers, designers, and innovators.

The Foundation believes that young people, as they learn to code, develop new ways of thinking about the world — and new ways of thinking about themselves.

continue reading Code-to-Learn Foundation.

Code to Joy: The School for Poetic Computation Opens – NYTimes.com

AUGUST 12, 2013, 11:05 AM By AMY O’LEARY

New computer science graduates jumped by nearly 30 percent last year, and a bevy of professionally oriented programming courses have erupted to teach start-up ready skills like, “How to Build a Mobile App.” So it makes sense that programming is widely considered to be this generation’s “Plastics” — a surefire professional skill that can bring success, security and maybe even stock options.

But fewer people talk about how programming and engineering can be used for pleasure, beauty or surprise.

Now, four people with a variety of backgrounds — in computer science, art, math and design — have banded together in Brooklyn to rethink how programming is taught.

Their school, the School for Poetic Computation, is intended to be more passionate, free-spirited and curiosity-driven than other kinds of private coding schools that have cropped up in the last few years, like New York’s Hacker School which is project-based and paid by start-ups to recruit from their student body, or Seattle’s Code Fellows, which offers practical classes with an aim to get their students a job after graduation.

via Code to Joy: The School for Poetic Computation Opens – NYTimes.com.

CS4HS (Computer Science for High School)

CS4HS (Computer Science for High School) is an initiative sponsored by Google to promote Computer Science and Computational Thinking in high school and middle school curriculum. With a gift from Google’s Education Group, universities develop 2-3 day workshops for local high school and middle school CS teachers. These workshops incorporate informational talks by industry leaders, and discussions on new and emerging CS curricula at the high school and middle school level. On this site, you’ll find information on how to apply for a CS4HS grant, information for workshop attendees and partners, and other helpful resources. We currently offer CS4HS funding in the US, Canada, Europe, Middle East, Africa, China, New Zealand, and Australia.

via Google.

Cornell NYC Tech, Planned for Roosevelt Island, Starts Up in Chelsea – NYTimes.com

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA Published: April 12, 2013

IF all the hopes and hype are warranted, a nondescript third-floor loft in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan offers a glimpse of the future, for New York City and for Cornell University. In truth, it doesn’t look like much — just cubicles and meeting rooms in space donated by Google. But looks deceive; here, with little fanfare, Cornell’s new graduate school of applied sciences is being rolled out.

The sparkling, sprawling new campus on Roosevelt Island filled with gee-whiz technology — still just ink on paper. The thousands of students and staff, the transformative effect on the city’s economy, the integration withthe Technion-Israel Institute of Technology — those all remain in the future, too.

continue reading Cornell NYC Tech, Planned for Roosevelt Island, Starts Up in Chelsea – NYTimes.com.

Opening a Gateway for Girls to Enter the Computer Field – NYTimes.com

BY CLAIRE CAIN MILLER

WHEN Julia Geist was asked to draw a picture of a computer scientist last year, the 16-year-old sketched a businessman wearing glasses and a tie. Looking around at her classmates’ drawings, she saw similar depictions of men.

Now, Ms. Geist said, “I see a computer scientist could be anyone” — including herself.

Her new perspective is a victory for Girls Who Code. As part of an eight-week program with the Manhattan-based nonprofit group, Ms. Geist and 19 other high school girls learned software programming, public speaking, product development and other skills to prepare them for jobs in the technology industry.

Girls Who Code is among the recent crop of programs intended to close the gender gap in tech by intervening early, when young women are deciding what they want to study. With names like Hackbright Academy, Girl Develop It, Black Girls Code and Girls Teaching Girls to Code, these groups try to present a more exciting image of computer science

via Opening a Gateway for Girls to Enter the Computer Field – NYTimes.com.

Google Summer of Code – Open Source Programs Office — Google Developers

Google Summer of Code is a global program that offers post-secondary student developers ages 18 and older stipends to write code for various open source software projects. We have worked with open source, free software, and technology-related groups to identify and fund projects over a three month period. Since its inception in 2005, the program has brought together over 6,000 successful student participants and over 3,000 mentors from over 100 countries worldwide, all for the love of code. Through Google Summer of Code, accepted student applicants are paired with a mentor or mentors from the participating projects, thus gaining exposure to real-world software development scenarios and the opportunity for employment in areas related to their academic pursuits. In turn, the participating projects are able to more easily identify and bring in new developers. Best of all, more source code is created and released for the use and benefit of all.

Continue reading- Google Summer of Code – Open Source Programs Office — Google Developers.

CoderDojo – CoderDojo

CoderDojo is a movement orientated around running free not-for-profit coding clubs and regular sessions for young people.

At a CoderDojo, young people learn how to code, develop websites, apps, programs, games and more. Dojos are set up, run by and taught at by volunteers. Dojos organise tours of technology companies, bring in guest speakers to talk about their career and what they do, and organise events. In addition to learning to code, members meet like minded people, show off what they’ve been working on and so on. CoderDojo makes development and learning to code a fun, sociable, kick ass experience. CoderDojo also puts a strong emphasis on open source and free software, and has a strong network of members and volunteers globally.

CoderDojo has just one rule: “Above All: Be Cool“, bullying, lying, wasting people’s time and so on is uncool.

To join a CoderDojo, please find your nearest one from this list, or help set one up one!

via About – CoderDojo – CoderDojo.

Computing In The Core

Computing in the Core (CinC) is a non-partisan advocacy coalition of associations, corporations, scientific societies, and other non-profits that strive to elevate computer science education to a core academic subject in K-12 education, giving young people the college- and career-readiness knowledge and skills necessary in a technology-focused society. CinC encourages awareness building activities, policy changes and research at national, state, and local levels to build a strong foundation for the future of computer science instruction. It will engage federal and state policy makers, educators, the public, and the media to meet these goals.

via About | Computing In The Core.