In this edition of BCSTA’s Education Leader we profile a pair of stories focused on students and technology in the classroom with a pair of intriguing stories from North Vancouver and North Okanagan-Shuswap.
Hacking goes to the gals (North Vancouver SD 44)
Thirty-two girls from three schools in North Vancouver took up a computer coding challenge by taking a six-week program offered by Hackergal. Hackergal is a non-profit organization whose goal is to create equality in the world of computer coding by introducing girls to the field.
Women are still greatly under-represented in areas of science, engineering, technology and mathematics (STEM) and the organization, along with girls in North Vancouver, are trying to change that. At the end of the successful program the students participated in a Hackathon, a nation-wide event where girls from across Canada take up challenges of computer coding.
Student “app” gets the nod (North Okanagan-Shuswap SD83)
A student at Pleasant Valley Secondary School (PVSS) who has developed a scheduling “app” got the go-ahead at the (SD83) Board of Education meeting to pilot the app with his classmates. The app, which will assist students in keeping track of classes and assignments, also allows teachers to submit notes and assigned homework. The app will be piloted in the School District after which the district will consider next steps.