Coding, the Latest Fashion Trend in Education

​    I get at least 5 emails a day on learning how to code, which is a personal goal of mine and was on my list of New Year’s resolutions for this year. Why is coding such a big deal anyway? Learning how to code can allow one to create a new app, build a robot that can do your laundry (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FGVgMsiv1s), and other more useful tasks! Learning how to code for today’s students is like learning basic math skills ─ they are both essential and relevant to the students’ generational culture and is something that educators, like myself, need to learn to help equip students for the rest of the 21st century.
    Today’s skills require computational thinking among students and teachers need to also be updated with students’ way of viewing the world. I’ve noticed that some of my 9th grade students are already familiar with coding and I would like to partake in their conversation and challenge them and deepen their thinking. In addition to motivating students to learn to code, it is also important to note that only about 18 percent of women go into computer science as of 2010 (NPR: When Women Stopped Coding). Encouraging more girls to code can boost their confidence and lead them in careers in computer science. Maybe once I learn how to code, I can start an after-school program at my school to encourage girls to code. There is also a free summer program for girls called Girls Who Code.
    Anyways, I found a website that list some places where people can learn to code:
http://drlisa.co/learn-to-code-in-atlanta/. I’m currently learning how to code using Code Academy (it’s free!).  Best of luck in your code learning experience and on joining the latest fashion trend!

- Manisha Maurya