Coding in the Classroom
Coding in the Classroom is an outreach program where members of the UT Computer Science community teach coding at local schools, introducing computer science to a broad range of students and fostering a sense of community.
Hour of Code
Hour of Code is an initiative led by the non-profit Code.org to encourage non-programmers to spend an hour programming. The Hour of Code lessons are available year-round, but the initiative focuses on getting people to participate during Computer Science Education Week in early December. The goal is to expose people to programming to give them some understanding of what a computer scientist is and to encourage them to pursue that career path or to encourage others to do so.
UT Computer Science has facilitated the Hour of Code initiative at local grade schools since December 2015. The UTCS community — undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends — work together to lead grade-school students through the Hour of Code lesson or provide support to their teachers as they do so. Our field is large and varied, and we are here for many different reasons. In exchange for our help, we request that teachers allow each volunteer to introduce themselves and explain why they chose computer science and why they stayed in computer science, showing students the diversity within our field.
Classroom Programs
Our classroom programs are designed to introduce students to coding in 6-8 weeks. Working in teams of approximately five, we travel to a local school for an hour each week, introducing coding through hands-on activities. We also strive to inspire the students through open-ended projects that capture their imaginations. For most of our programs, we use LEGO Mindstorms or Kano Kits. In addition to teaching coding, we introduce the idea of computer science and how its concepts can be used to change the world. You can check out our curricula page for more information.
How is it going?
We are currently running or facilitating seven classroom programs at six schools:
- Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (High)
- Bertha Sadler Means Young Women's Leadership Academy (Middle)
- Maplewood Elementary
- Barbara Jordan Elementary
- Perez Elementary
- Sunset Valley Elementary
These programs, led by approximately 45 UTCS student mentors, are reaching approximately 230 K-12 students this school year.
While it is too early to measure long-term results, our mentors report that the programs are going well and the students seem interested. We have found that school-day classroom programs are more successful than after-school coding clubs.
Get Your School Involved
Expand computer science at your school and join the thousands of schools that have incorporated high-quality computer science education into their curriculum.
Volunteer
Subscribe to our outreach email list to learn about volunteer opportunities. A background check with Austin Partners in Education is required.
Become a Mentor
Submit an interest form to mentor for Coding in the Classroom.
Donate
Donations of any amount are appreciated and help us buy equipment for new programs and offset the cost of transportation.