WELCOME TO TECHNOVATION GIRLS!
Through Technovation Girls, you’ll learn how to design and code your own mobile app to solve a problem in your community.
What is code?
Code is the way that people talk to computers, and make computers do different things! Code is everywhere—you probably use things that were made with code multiple times a day without even realizing it. Coding is the act of writing code! Programming means the same thing.
Below are some examples of things made by coding.
Mentor Tip
Best practices: When learning new concepts, it can be helpful to relate them to familiar experiences. For example, “Learning to code is like learning a new language. Just like you use words and grammar to write sentences, you use code to give instructions to a computer.” This comparison helps build more comfort with the idea of coding.
Learning to code, doesn’t have to mean jumping write into typing lines of code immediately. There are steps that learners can take to get there, such as drawing out logic using flowcharts and starting with block coding (like teams will in Technovation Girls)!
Need help explaining what coding is? Check out these videos!
- Coding for Kids Explained | What is Coding | Why is Coding Important
- Why Programming Is Important?
- WHY KIDS NEED TO LEARN CODE IN SCHOOLS | ELLIOTT BLACKMORE | TEDXYOUTH@STJOHNS
Guiding Questions to ask students:
What do you think coding is, and why do you think it’s important?
Can you think of any devices or apps you use every day that involve coding? (ex: smartphones, video games, websites)
How do you feel about starting to learn coding? What are you excited or nervous about?
Mentor tips are provided by support from AmeriCorps.
Stop and Discuss
What are some things you like that are created with code?
There are lots of fun things to do with code, but did you know that you can also help people with code? Here are some examples.
Healthcare uses code to find patterns and assess a person’s needs
Assistive Devices help people with disabilities access the world
Robots can perform different tasks that help people
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The other thing you’ll learn about in Technovation Girls is artificial intelligence. What is artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence or AI is the ability for machines or robots to do tasks normally thought to be done only by humans. Because the human brain is so complex, it has been a difficult problem for computer scientists to solve – making a machine think like a human. But over the past 50 years, much progress has been made in this field of computer science.
Just like code, AI exists all around you! It has become a part of our everyday life, so it’s important for you as a consumer of artificial intelligence to understand how it works and how it affects you. You might just be inspired enough to make AI an integral part of your Technovation project!
Below are some examples of AI in our lives.
Stop and Discuss
Can you think of other examples of AI in your life?
