Girls are being invited to join a college coding club to banish the misconception that the skill is “just for boys”.
Those aged from P5 through to second year in high school are being invited to attend West College Scotland’s Coding Club.
The college received funding from Digital Xtra to run the club for another year.
It will last for three days over the October break from Tuesday, October 18 to Thursday, October 20 from 10am to 3pm each day.
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Dr Amanda Ford, lecturer in Creative and Digital Industries, said: “I have run coding clubs before but not in Paisley – this is a new thing. I have decided to do the first one for girls to try and get more girls involved.
“At our college, we don’t have a lot of women on our courses and I would like to be a positive role model that way. It is for primary five and second year girls as that is the age where they start falling out for the love of computing.”
There will be different activities on each day and lunch will also be provided for those attending.
On day one, the girls will look at how to come up with an idea for a game before creating a prototype game on the software Scratch.
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Day two will see the girls using Twine to write and program their own adventure story.
Finally, on the third day, they will learn how to use Makey Makey or microbits to get creative and make music. This session will use block-based programming, where the developer issues instructions by dragging and dropping blocks, and the girls will be able to get the chance to try out both Makey Makey and micro bits.
Hopeful: Amanda is hoping that the club will encourage girls to select computing in the future
(Image: Amanda Ford)
The course will help tackle the stigma that coding and making video games are only for boys to find enjoyment in doing.
Amanda added: “It will show the girls that coding and gaming is not just a boy thing, it is for everybody and they can do it as well. I hope it can inspire even just a few young girls to take this seriously as a career in the future.”
There are limited spaces available and those wanting to attend, can find out more information and register by visiting: www.westcollegescotland.ac.uk/college/news/
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