Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2013 - (Page 8)

SHUTTERSTOCK CODE ME IN by samantha botros Exploring Computer science at CtY and beyond M y interest in computer technology began in the fourth grade through my local university’s LEGO Mindstorms Robotics competition. I developed an interest in programming after serving as a programmer on the team. Of course, it was all basic stuff in visual programming software such as RoboLab 9.0 and NXT-G, but to me, it was a whole new world of challenges and possibilities. Armed with my laptop and one of the old RCX robots, I explored all the commands I could administer, tested variations on tasks, and flowcharted I’d through entire notebooks. Through the Mindstorms program, Id found a thrilling hobby that was teetering on the edge of becoming something more. In the summer of 2011, I decided to venture deeper into computer programming through a CTY summer course. Although I’d enjoyed four years of CTY summers, I was a little apprehensive. Most of my programming experience—with the exception of a couple of crash courses in HTML and C++ that I’d taken through the Mindstorms program—had occurred on educational programming software, so I lacked a basic understanding of the mechanics of programming. Was I the only one with such knowledge gaps? Would I stand out from my class, struggling to understand what others took as givens? My past CTY experiences made my decision for me. If there’s one piece of classroom wisdom that I’ve learned from CTY, it’s that every student faces her own challenges when confronted with advanced material. I know from experience that no student is put down or ostracized, by either teachers or classmates, for struggling to meet such challenges. Additionally, the three-week class I was considering, Fundamentals of Computer Science, seemed tailored to my needs, offering to teach me the fundamentals trifecta of hardware, software, and theory. building a strong base That June, I arrived at CTY Lancaster for a course I couldn’t have been more pumped about. In the dorm, I met and befriended the five girls who were in my class. Talking with them, I realized he dorm me be r ended he five g r s n c ass Ta k ng w h hem rea zed that most of them were just like me: interested in programming and wanting to learn more. My ha mos o hem us ke me n eres ed n programm ng wan ng o earn more worries evaporated before my first class. worr es evapora ed be ore firs c ass arrived at class morning, of We arr ved a c ass Monday morn ng 16 o us in total, w h no h ng bu ques ons Bu n o a with nothing but questions. But shortly after introductions were made, it was our teacher who served us with a question. shor y after n roduc ons made eacher 8 imagine may un 2013 may/Jun

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2013

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2013
Contents
Big Picture
In My Own Words
Code Me In
Getting Started With Computational Problem Solving
Coding for Gold
The Computer Science Connection
Magical & Practical
The Creative, Collaborative Universe of Minecraft
Going Mobile
Connecting Students and Cultures Through Technology
Selected Opportunities & Resources
Words With Friends
Off the Shelf
Word Wise
Exploring Career Options
One Step Ahead
Planning Ahead for College
Students Review
Creative Minds Imagine
Mark Your Calendar
Knossos Games

Imagine Magazine - Johns Hopkins - May/June 2013