Comment on Computer time gives students with idea for career

Computer time gives students with idea for career

GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Tapping away on their keyboards at schools across the county last week, students played games based on popular characters, such as Anna and Elsa from the movie "Frozen" and the flock from Angry Birds, while learning skills that could lead to technical careers. D.H. Conley High School Instructional Coach Lisa Smith brought Hour of Code to the school as part of Computer Science Education Week. Code.org hopes to encourage women and minorities to consider computer science careers, according to the website. Smith said more than 90 percent of American schools do not teach computer programming, though more jobs in the field are emerging. Less than 2.4 percent of college students graduate with a degree in computer science, and that number has dropped in the last decade, according to hourofcode.com. After hearing about Hour of Code during an instructional coaches meeting along with an anecdote from someone about a relative who programmed a game and sold it to Microsoft for millions of dollars, Smith decided to investigate in her own household. After success with her own family, Smith asked career and technical education teachers and media coordinators to see if they were interested in helping out hold Hour of Code at the school and asked permission from the principal. Smith said it's important for children to learn what is behind the scenes of their favorite websites and potentially explore a hot job market.

 

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