You make some very valid points. There is an underpowered feedback loop here that would take years to amplify naturally. That's why it's important to have programs like BJC right now. It helps tilt the scales without relying on changes to the composition of the teaching field.
Re:Snap: Programming for Everyone
by breakforge on Monday June 01, 2015 @07:51PM
(#9642992)
> It helps tilt the scales without relying on changes to the composition of the teaching field.
What's are the initials BJC? My searching turned up nothing that immediately fits the context, and I'd like to read more
http://bjc.berkeley.edu/
It's in the article.
"Snap is the programming language for UC Berkeley’s Beauty and Joy of Computing curriculum (BJC), which aims to bring introductory CS to a wider range of students than the typical intro to programming does. BJC is also used at the high school level, and is a curriculum for the new AP Computer Science: Principles test."
Re:Snap: Programming for Everyone
by breakforge on Monday June 01, 2015 @08:43PM
(#9643145)
Thanks. I was under the impression that it was some channel for experimenting with education. Whoops.
I would love programming to be more accessible and a much more diverse community, but I think people are starting far from the problem.
Look at the percentage of K-8 teachers teaching Math and Science that did not major in their field. Now look at the ratio of female to male teachers in both K-8 and pre-K.
We are not providing proper role models in the math and sciences since the teachers teaching the subject didn't consider them in detail enough to major in them. Neither are we providing proper role models for both sexes professionally interacting. The problem is long standing by the time students pick majors and their perception of STEM is long formed. Their are reasons you have to be already interested to succeed and it has to do when "already" happened.