About
Welcome to Coding With Lily! I'm so glad you are here!
This website, content, and videos are created as part of Lily's research project in Georgia Institute of Technology's Online Masters in Computer Science Program (OMSCS 6460). The purpose of the project is to create a Computer Science curriculum using researched-based approaches on encouraging 3rd - 5th grade girls' interest in Computer Science.
PARENTS: If you would like to participate in Lily's Masters in Computer Science research project, please fill out this Parental Consent Form for Coding With Lily!
Why Computer Science?
Computer Science:
- is more than just programming.
- encourages critical and logical thinking.
- is part of our everyday lives.
- is fun!
From Lily's research...
Based on data collected by the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), the NCWIT 2020 Scorecard shows that only 19% of Computer Science undergraduate degrees in the U.S. are earned by women (DuBow & Gonzalez, 2020). Low female representation leading to a male-dominated field can result in technology tools neglecting the needs of the diverse population and neglecting females as a viable resource (Balcita et al., 2002).
Why Scratch?
Scratch is:
- visually intuitive.
- appropriate for young learners.
- easy to use with no software installation needed.
From Liy's research...
researchers noted that the Scratch programming environment is very accessible to novice users with its interlocking blocks (Maloney et al., 2008). Scratch’s drag-and-drop visual programming tool required little ramp up time, so the girls were able to learn and gain confidence quickly (Mouza et al., 2016). With Scratch being visually intuitive and its ease of use, Maloney et al. (2008) discovered that the youth were able to teach themselves how to code in Scratch, which builds self-confidence. As Mouza et al. (2016) indicated, Scratch is an appropriate learning tool for young learners.
Why 3rd - 5th grade girls?
Upper elementary girls are capable of:
- logical thinking.
- reading and comprehending complex instructions.
- understands basic math.
- self-led learning and intrinsic motivation.
From Lily's research... Teaching Computer Science to upper-elementary students should ensure a fun and positive atmosphere by being flexible with the curriculum and incorporating social interactions and speakers. Ozturk et al. (2018) notes the importance of project-based learning which allows for self-led learning by the students. Project-based learning enables the students to have control over their learning, resulting in self-efficacy, collaboration with other students, and increased engagement because they are working on what they are interested in (Ozturk et al., 2018).
References
Balcita, A. M., Carver, D. L., & Soffa, M. L. (2002). Shortchanging the future of information technology: the untapped resource. ACM SIGCSE Bulletin, 34(2), 32-35.
DuBow, W. & Gonzalez, J.J. (2020) NCWIT Scorecard: The Status of Women in Technology. Boulder, CO: NCWIT. Available at https://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/resources/ncwit_executive_summary_scorecard_05132019.pdf
Maloney, J. H., Peppler, K., Kafai, Y., Resnick, M., & Rusk, N. (2008, March). Programming by choice: urban youth learning programming with scratch. In Proceedings of the 39th SIGCSE technical symposium on Computer science education (pp. 367-371).
Mouza, C., Marzocchi, A., Pan, Y. C., & Pollock, L. (2016). Development, implementation, and outcomes of an equitable computer science after-school program: Findings from middle-school students. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 48(2), 84-104.
Ozturk, Z., Dooley, C. M., & Welch, M. (2018). Finding the hook: Computer science education in elementary contexts. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 50(2), 149-163.