Pilot hopes to draw students to computer programming through music

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Laura Devaney, Managing Editor writes, "Learn how a school pilot is using music to engage students in computer programming and computer science education".
  
Students in Mike Reilly’s computer programming classes could be helping to bust the stereotype of the computer nerd hunched over a keyboard, writing programs that crunch numbers and sort lists.

Photo: eSchool News

They are creating and remixing hip-hop beats as part of a pilot program that could have broader implication for the future of computer science education.

Emily Polanco is one of those changed by the class.

When it started, she said she had no idea how to program and wasn’t really interested. Now she’s decided to pursue a career in technology, specifically 3D animation.

Her tech-savvy parents, Terry Polanco, an IT systems manager at AT&T, and Lisa Polanco, a technology paraprofessional at a Gwinnett County elementary school, have watched Emily grow from a casual computer user, booting up to do homework, reading and social networking.

“Her father and I know that she has only begun to ‘scratch the surface’ of possibilities in technology,” Lisa Polanco said. “Emily is excited about what she’s learning and we are, too. She regularly shows us her work and brings home computer projects on her thumb drive. We continue to be amazed by what she’s learning and impressed with the work she’s doing.”

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Source: eSchool News