Everyone Has a Program In Them

I came across Alice a couple of weeks back. I saw a reference again today. And these words really caught my attention.

I’m huge on efforts like Alice and other projects to bring novices and newbies into the ranks of programming. Just as I think everybody has a book in them, I believe everybody has at least one good program in them. I’m not saying I’d be interested in reading all those books (or caring about all those programs), but I think about the boost in literacy that bringing more folks to reading and writing would bring. The same could be said for bringing more folks to programming.

CMU officials said Alice has been successful in teaching students at more than 60 colleges and universities, as well as a growing number of middle and high schools, to program. And not only has Alice been effective in getting girls interested in programming, it also has attracted minorities, as the program has been introduced into schools in the interior of cities such as Washington, D.C., CMU officials said.

In Girls Ask Alice for Programming Skills, Darryl K. Taft tells a nice story.

I think programming is creative problem solving. It provides an engaging experience. It is also a tool for thinking. Languages like Logo promote exploration and allow kids to Play to Learn. Hopefully tools like Alice and others that let kids explore and build their own microworlds will gain widespread usage.

Explore Alice.

How I found this article.

email ->Code Project Daily Developer News -> Girls Ask Alice for Programming