With Scratch, for example, the girls programmed games: newcomers a fish that had to swim away from the shark, others a virus that was to be vaccinated with the syringe, and advanced students tried it out without instructions. When programming with microbits, these were connected to the computer and the LEDs programmed how they should light up: as a number or as a smiley, depending on the keystroke. The girls designed a heart with the free image editing program Gimp and learned to create shapes and levels, to fill them with color or patterns, to rotate or mirror them.
The BMD team explained what a computer looks like from the inside and how a 3D printer works. As a souvenir, the children were allowed to take a printed key fob with them.
Many of the girls have already registered for the next CoderDojo on March 17th at the Museum Arbeitswelt. Around half of the girls were at CoderDojo Steyr for the first time, including eight-year-old Dilek-Aleyna: “I liked everything and it’s really easy because the mentors explain everything very well and always help. I’ll be back for sure.”
“The success is incredible and shows that we have hit the nerve of the times. There is absolutely no sign that girls are not interested in IT, an attractive framework must be created for them,” says Maria Pernegger, initiator of CoderDojo Steyr.
Around twice as many (!) girls would have liked to register. “We only reached our limits in terms of the equipment with the laptops and also in terms of personnel. We are therefore happy about further support, interested mentors or companies that enable us to further expand the work for the children,” says Pernegger.
TIC Managing Director Daniela Zeiner is just as enthusiastic: “The rush confirms that it was high time for a Girls Special. We addressed girls here who would otherwise not have dared or who had not previously felt addressed.”
“IT and our children have one thing in common: they are the future. We are pleased that with the Girls Special we have created an opportunity for girls to get a taste of the technology in an informal way,” says Romana Hausleitner from BMD.
The next dates for the free CoderDojo Steyr will take place on March 17th in the Museum Arbeitswelt from 4 to 6 p.m. and on March 31st in the HTL Steyr. The latter has a soldering special (from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) and a normal programming dojo (from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Information and registration at www.tic-steyr.at/coderdojo-steyr or [email protected].
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