© Black Girls Code Stem Diversity Matters Educational Content. This free programming academy wants to solve this problem.With the expansion of educational content in recent years, YouTube has become more than an escapist entertainment site, and content creators have promoted accessible digital learning for all ages. However, the problem of representation remains: this content is rarely featured by women of color. With the launch of the new educational initiative CODE Along, STEM organizations Black Girls CODE and GoldieBlox are working to bridge this gap by using the platform to support underrepresented communities in fields such as computing, technology and even gaming.
The free educational series, brought to you by black women, is specifically designed to engage with Gen Z's flexible learning styles and social media lives, and to integrate a wide range of coding skills and computer science interests through step by step lessons. "For too long, Black girls and girls of color haven't seen each other in STEM educational content—closing out our community regardless of their interests. That's the problem CODE Along wants to address," said Sophia Mohammed , Acting Executive Director. of KODE Black Girl. .
Despite its growing importance and interest among young students, only 53% of US schools offer a computer science curriculum. This pipeline may expand to some students, but certainly not to all—only 20% of bachelor's degrees in computer science are awarded to women, and even fewer to women of color. Diversity problems exist even with free resources. According to the creators of CODE Along, the initiative was inspired by the fact that most free online content teaching computer science is still aimed at a specific, mostly male, audience.
Both organizations have combined their years of STEM experience to create something very different. Black Girls CODE is a non-profit organization dedicated to equipping young women of color with skills and resources that will increase their exposure to technology and computer programming. Founded in 2011, Black Girls CODE has grown to 15 chapters offering workshops, enrichment programs, summer camps and youth clubs across the country focused on virtual reality, robotics, game design, web design and development. mobile applications. . GoldieBlox, which launched on Kickstart in 2012 as a stand-alone book and device, now offers a full line of unique toys, shows and online activities aimed at getting young girls excited about STEM topics.
"Black Girls CODE and GoldiBlox have over a decade of experience getting girls interested in STEM, and by combining our strengths, we've completely reimagined the way computer science is taught, engaging girls of color and other youth-centered who are marginalized. of attention. our efforts and reach where they are on YouTube and social media,” said Debbie Sterling, Founder and CEO of GoldiBlox.
Video coding tutorials are published on YouTube in three modules covering topics such as digital art coding and animation and game map design in the popular video game Roblox. Each module consists of several time-stamped chapters that guide viewers through the necessary programming skills, explained by women of color who are experts in their fields.
"The video introduces and teaches viewers the basic concepts of using p5.js (a JavaScript library that makes it easy to write visual and interactive applications) and game design in Roblox Studio," said Mashable's Mohammad. The modules also include downloadable cheat sheets on the skills and abilities of various lines of code, with each video providing a foundation for beginner programming using digital tools freely available online.
The educational series will also feature exclusive interviews with other women of color (the organization's "role models") who have established and excelled in various industries, such as Jenille Carter, one of the first black professional esports players, even actress and gamer. Ella Balinska. , who starred in the action film Resident Evil and the new film Charlie's Angels .
All interviews are available on the program's website and will be published on the Black Girls Code Instagram page under "CODE Along".
"The accessibility and asynchronicity of encrypted content allows viewers and participants to use the module however they want - whether at school, at home, with friends and beyond," says Mohammad. "We want girls to be passionate about computers and programming technology, be entertained by our hosts and projects, and share what they learn with their friends and classmates."
By combining these offerings, CODE Along effectively goes beyond just representational content, as its creators believe that visibility can also be linked to action, and teaches young people transferable skills that not only show that people like them can have real success, but also show them exactly how to do it.
The first episode of CODE Along is available on CODE's Black Girls YouTube page. New episodes are released weekly and people are encouraged to explore additional content, including model bios, on the Code Along homepage.
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