Computer Science Camp for Middle School Girls
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| Audience/Grade: | 7-8 |
| Discipline(s): |
Computer Science Computing Diversity Design Engineering Diversity |
| Special Topic(s): |
Women and Information Technology Hispanic Engineers and Scientists |
| Learning Resource Type: |
Teaching - Course |
| Media Type: |
Audio |
| Author(s): |
A. DeFrance R. Angryk |
| Description: | What will we do at the camp? The camp will be both challenging and exciting, with an introduction to programming, as well as several other different projects. The projects will include: 1) Programming in Alice: The programming language Alice will make learning to program easier and fun. 2) Programming Robots: Students will have a Lego Mindstorm robots available to work with during the workshop. The Lego Mindstorms will allow the girls to express creativity through programming. 3) Building a Database: The students will be exposed to a database management system like Access to build a database of the phone numbers and address of their friends, or a catalog of the CDs they own, or movies they have seen, or any other collections they would like to keep track of. 4) Building web pages: The students will be taught not only how to create a personal web page, but how they can create a web page to explain a topic or to advertise a family business. 5) Logic and algorithms: Since logic and problem solving are essential components of a computer science education, games and activities will be used to teach the girls to solve all sorts of problems in a logical and creative manner. 6) Graphics and animation: The students will be taught the basic of computer graphics to allow them to create animated art. 7) Field trips: Bozeman has several high tech companies that would be glad to conduct field trips through their facilities. In most cases, these field trips will be led by mentors who are helping us deliver the workshop. 8) Science fairs and programming competition. Science fairs and programming competitions will be discussed in the workshop, with the AWC women giving ideas of great science projects to take back to their schools, and programming competitions that our students would be competitive in. |
| Rating: | No Rating |
| Related Resources | |
| Keywords: | computer science camp girls middle school clubs outreach Hispanics Latino Latina Chicano Chicana Reviewed |
| Usage Tip | |
| Related ABET Criteria: |
Confidence (a) Apply mathematics, science, and engineering (c) Design a system, component, or process (i) Engage in life-long learning Engagement Motivation Retention |
| Intervention(s): |
Use of Specific Teaching & Learning Techniques Use of Student Retention Interventions |
| Use of Resource: |
Strategies and interventions: The BTU project provides hands-on experience and training in the design, construction, and use of computing technology along with the requisite knowledge to ensure the safe and appropriate use of this technology to Hispanic parents and their teenage children in the Northern Kentucky region. The BTU project is designed to provide the Hispanic community with a portal into the information technology domain which is both cognizant and respectful of their cultural values and expectations. Each family is provided with the computer components necessary to construct a personal computer from scratch. Through guided, bi-lingual instruction, each family gains the essential knowledge necessary for understanding the basic inner-working of the machine and its key software components. At the end of the program, each family will then take home a fully-functional and tested computer system whose operation they understand and trust and will have been introduced to a variety of uses for their new system. To date 20 families have completed the program and 10 more will do so in the Fall of 2007. Research results are expected early in 2008. |
| Difficulty: |
Medium |
| Version Info | |
| Publication Date: | June 2007 |
| Platform/Format: |
WWW |
| Cost: |
Free |
| Download URL: | http://www.cs.montana.edu/defrance/WorkshopMentoring/ |
| Metadata: |
IEEE LOM Record |
| Collection: |
Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC)
NEEDS
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