Tag Archives: Coding for Indigenous youth

Module 3- Post 3: Codemakers to digitize storytelling

Developed by Google engineers and Actua experts and aimed to engage Aboriginal youth into the area of computer science, this code Making program called “Codemakers” provided an opportunity for students to code and remixing their voices. This opportunity by Google is able to provide Aboriginal students something that’s new and cutting-edge tech but still rooted in their culture. For many young students participating in this program, throat singing is how they have learned to pass on the traditions of their past.  Being able to mix and digitize the stories they shared in song allows them to connect culture with technology. A breakoff of this project has students “throat boxing” using recording software on mobile devices and computers. A CBC article further explains how Aboriginal students can still embrace their culture but stay connected at the same time.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/google-s-codemakers-program-launches-in-iqaluit-1.3009996

Mod#1-Post 5: Coders North: Online coding for Indigenous youth

For my final project I am interested in researching means to attract and involve Indigenous students in computing education. Coders North is an online platform developed by Elephant Thought to empower mainly Indigenous youth with the knowledge and skills that help them to create the web and digital world with content that reflects their identities and cultures; It is part of the Government of Canada’s CanCode program. The website also serves as a resource for educators and their students to share, learn, collaborate, and celebrate coding and the digital world’s Indigenization. It includes three main links:

1- Learning Modules

A set of interactive lessons that speak to Indigenous entrepreneurship, successful role models, computational thinking, coding and much more. These lessons are designed for grades 8-12 and are free to use for any educator interested in incorporating them into their class.

Screen capture of learning modules (Coders North, n.d.).

2-Student Showcase

A multimedia showcase of Indigenous and non-Indigenous student-led projects exhibiting intriguing and innovative concepts ranging from music to storytelling to sports and beyond. You will notice that projects created by Indigenous adolescents, as well as youth from marginalized and at-risk communities and situations receives a lot of attention.

3- Video Library

It includes artists, web designers, coders, app designers, gamers and contributors on the Coders North site talking about how they participate on the cyberspace in purposeful way to support the Indigenization of computing field such as: a Métis game designer Meagan Byrne and Metis coder Jon Corbet (he is the presenter of Indigenizing computer programming for cultural maintenance , also the developer of a morphemic computer programming language “Cree#” based on the Cree language and syllabary). I would like to note that the video content is not technical.

Screen capture of Video Library (Coders North, n.d.).

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