By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–Turns out, coding is not just for the boys anymore.
At least not at Union City High School.
In a male-dominated field of study that is essentially the computer language used to develop apps, websites and software, the number of girls enrolled and excelling in both Coding I and II at UCHS is up drastically.
There are now 10 females involved in those classes at Union City High School. That total represents more than 25 percent of the total number of students currently studying the subject.
According to data published just a few years back, only 18 percent of students studying computer science were girls. There’s actually a nonprofit organization — Girls Who Code — which aims to support and increase the number of women in computer science by equipping young women with the necessary computing skills to pursue 21st century opportunities.
Dan Burnham, who teaches the two coding classes and is the school system’s IT assistant, says he sees a change in the landscape of his student field.
“It’s been a man’s world, but that is changing,” Burnham insisted. “There are more and more young ladies getting involved in both gaming and software. There’s increased interest from girls in the production and development of software, too.”
Assistant Director of Schools Michael Paul Miller — who also serves as the system’s CTE (Career Technical Education) director — claims Burnham is a big reason why females are beginning to develop more interest in the coding classes.
“Mr. Burnham makes his classes both interesting and enjoyable for the students,” Miller insisted. “He creates real-world situations and brings great passion to the classroom with his methods. And that’s not just for the guys. I believe the word has gotten out and the girls are starting to get interested.
“When we discussed adding the CTE program, coding was number one on the field-of-study list. We knew it wouldn’t be easy to find a teacher in rural northwest Tennessee, but we were really fortunate to have found a person who loves the subject and wants the students to share in his joy and know that it’s a great field of study with tremendous possibilities and potential down the road.”
Burnham’s teaching style centers around “being able to talk the talk.”
“It’s so very important to be able to talk the language,” he said. “And that’s especially true for the young ladies.
“Every concept I have that is new to them, I try to relate it back to something they already know, just to bridge the gap and help them learn. It certainly seems to be working and I see the excitement on their faces daily with what we’re doing.”
This is the first year for Coding II at UCHS, after Coding I was introduced two years ago.
Foundations of computer science is also offered, and there are plans for AP computer science classes in the near future, according to Miller.
Photo by Mike Hutchens.
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