logo
  • News
    • Northside Community Meetings
    • Community Calendar
    • Elected Officials
    • Features
    • Local Business
    • Pittsburgh Police Blotter
    • Public Safety
    • Sports
  • Arts + Culture
  • Real Estate
  • Classifieds
  • Marketplace
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
    • News
      • Northside Community Meetings
      • Community Calendar
      • Elected Officials
      • Features
      • Local Business
      • Pittsburgh Police Blotter
      • Public Safety
      • Sports
    • Arts + Culture
    • Real Estate
    • Classifieds
    • Marketplace
    • Subscribe
    • Advertise
Coding class fuels push for more computer science education
Central Northside, Editor Picks, Education
admin, on
November 15, 2018
Coding class fuels push for more computer science education

A community “Hour of Code” will be held at CoLab18 in the Northside this December as part of Computer Science Education Week, a global initiative to promote computer science education in the classroom.

By Ashlee Green

Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is a global initiative taking place Dec. 3 to 9, 2018, to promote quality computer science education as a regular part of curriculum in schools worldwide.

“It’s a chance to make community members aware of some of the things that are going on or could be going on in their schools,” said Brad Ankney, Math and Special Education teacher at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit Alternative Education Program. Last year, Ankney attended a week-long professional development intensive with Code.org, a nonprofit organization with the mission to offer more computer science courses, especially to women and students of color. He trained with educators throughout the U.S. to learn how to teach computer science concepts. He said it was the best professional development of his career, and reiterated the link between math and computer
science that Gov. Tom Wolf made in legislation he signed into law last year. The legislation allowed high school students in Pennsylvania to use courses in computer science and technology to count for credit toward math or science graduation requirements.

“A lot of the more abstract concepts you use in algebra like equations, variables and conditionals are actually applied in computer science in a more concrete fashion,” Ankney said. “You get to see results immediately.”

Ankney will host a community “Hour of Code” at CoLab18 in the Northside on Thursday, Dec. 6, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., as part of CSEdWeek. The event will include activities from Code.org, app building projects from Bitsbox and programmable robots. After the learning activities, participants will have a celebration with pizza and prizes. The event is sponsored by Sto-Rox Coding Club, a club for beginners interested in learning how to code, and Stemcodinglab.org, a Troy Hill-based nonprofit organization that aims to prepare children in underserved communities to thrive in a digital world.

According to Code.org, fewer than half of U.S. schools actually offer computer science courses at all. In 2015, Pennsylvania had only 2,969 computer science graduates, and only 20 percent of them were female-identified. The average salary statewide for an occupation in computer science is $87,822, which is over 50 percent higher than the state’s overall average salary.

The website for CSEdWeek is extensive and includes statistics about computing jobs nationwide, how-to guides for teachers who are new to teaching coding and letter templates for teachers, principals and local elected officials to use to help advocate for more computer science in schools.

To find out more information or to host an event of your own, visit csedweek.org. Ankney’s community “Hour of Code” is free and for all ages, but limited to the first 30 participants. Register for the event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hour-of-code-northside-tickets-51466894868. Email [email protected] for more information.

Donate today to help support the Northside community newspaper's mission to provide hyperlocal coverage for our neighborhoods, neighbors, and their future.

Related Posts
Observatory Hill’s Pride Project not your average educational institution
Arts + Culture, Education, Features, Observatory Hill
Observatory Hill’s Pride Project not your average educational institution
Pride Project, Inc. isn’t structured around cut-and-dry goods and services: It aims to fill in the gaps of what a traditional education can prov...
July 19, 2022
First in-person CCAC graduation since 2019 held at Heinz Field
Education, North Shore
First in-person CCAC graduation since 2019 held at Heinz Field
There were close to 3,000 candidates for graduation. By Ashlee Green Photos: Gene J. Puskar for CCAC The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) ...
July 14, 2022
On the Scene: Fishing Rod Foundation Co.’s ‘Kentucky Derby’ themed fundraiser
Observatory Hill, Photo Gallery
On the Scene: Fishing Rod Foundation Co.’s ‘Kentucky Derby’ themed fundraiser
[tecnavia_gallery slug='on-the-scene-fishing-rod-foundation-co-s-kentucky-derby-themed-fundraiser-gallery' view='carousel'] A fascinator hat competiti...
June 21, 2022
Makeshift community bike repair project building steam in Pittsburgh’s Northside
Allegheny Commons, Allegheny West, Features, Trails + Travel, Transportation + Infrastructure
Makeshift community bike repair project building steam in Pittsburgh’s Northside
Free Ride, but for Northsiders. By Ashlee Green Photo: Catch Makeshift at the Northside Farmers' Market on Fridays from 3 to 7 p.m. Courtesy of Makesh...
June 21, 2022
Northside Business Briefs: June 2022
Allegheny City Central, Briefs, Historic Deutschtown, Local Business, Spring Garden
Northside Business Briefs: June 2022
Stay up-to-date on what’s coming, going, and changing in the Northside business community with The Northside Chronicle’s monthly Northside...
June 2, 2022
Little House Big Art joins two local artists for ‘Spring Hill Pigeon Project’
Arts + Culture, Spring Hill
Little House Big Art joins two local artists for ‘Spring Hill Pigeon Project’
[tecnavia_gallery slug='little-house-big-art-joins-two-local-artists-for-spring-hill-pigeon-project-gallery' view='carousel'] The ceramic pigeons made...
May 16, 2022
e-Edition
Northside Neighborhoods
Northside Guides
FORMS + SUBMISSIONS
Events Letters to the Editor News Tips
POLL
MOST READ
Real Estate Transfers March 12 to March 18
News, Real Estate...
Real Estate Transfers March 12 to March 18
March 21, 2023
Allegheny City Central Martha Hyman to JMT Investments LLC at 1327 Reddour St. for $105,000. PinRe Holdings L.P. to TMSAZ 1510 LLC at 1510 Monterey St...
this is a test
Real Estate Transfers March 5 to March 11
Features, News...
Real Estate Transfers March 5 to March 11
March 20, 2023
Allegheny City Central North Side Assoc. to Neuman Investing LLC at 215 Alpine Ave. for $195,000. East Deutschtown Quadvestors LLC to Richard Ryan II ...
this is a test
Real Estate Transfers Feb. 26 to March 4
Features, News...
Real Estate Transfers Feb. 26 to March 4
March 20, 2023
Allegheny City Central Coast Properties LLC to Thomas Weinlandt and Kendall Post at 1219 Veto St. for $368,600. Brighton Heights FOF Properties LLC to...
this is a test
Real Estate Transfers Feb. 19 to Feb. 25
News, Real Estate...
Real Estate Transfers Feb. 19 to Feb. 25
March 20, 2023
Allegheny City Central Mark Fleischer to James and Amie Sparks Ball at 1202 Sherman Ave. for $400,000. Edward Villella to Louis Kroeck and Sarah Chath...
this is a test
Town Talk: Pizza! Pizza! Not your typical pizza chains
Allegheny City Central, Business...
Town Talk: Pizza! Pizza! Not your typical pizza chains
March 20, 2023
Most Northsiders are likely familiar with the phrase “Pizza! Pizza!” from the TV commercial promoting a national pizza chain. Yet (and to our benefit)...
this is a test
Neighborhood Community Development Fund
Northside Leadership Conference
Donate

The Northside Chronicle

thenorthsidechronicle.com
Phone: (412) 321-3919
Email: [email protected]

About Us

Stay tuned with us

Copyright ©2022 Northside Chronicle. All rights reserved.