For its fourth year, the Co-creation Hub (CcHUB) will run Summer of Code, a holiday programme introducing young people to computer programming.
The effort is part of CcHUB’s education practice, re:learn. Re:learn runs multiple programmes throughout the year to achieve its aim of using technology to identify smarter ways to help kids learn.
The Summer of Code is the Centre’s most intense programme. During the longest holiday of the academic year, kids, aged 5 – 18, learn to build computer games and animations, design web pages as well as learn about computer applications, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for 4 weeks.
The programme began in Lagos in 2014 and now operates in Abuja, Oyo, and Osun as well. Last summer, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg paid Lagos students a surprise visit. The Internet entrepreneur and computer programmer engaged with students and reviewed some of their code and projects.
This year, re:learn is preparing to create more memorable moments in all four cities. In each host city, re:learn will deploy trained facilitators and other learning resources.
Re:learn attempts to maintain the same experience in each city. Facilitators lead lessons. Each lesson is project based. Projects allow kids to learn new tools and improve their problem solving and critical thinking abilities.
Soft-skills are taught in addition to technical skills. Kids learn project management (managing your project with resources available – time, etc), collaboration (working in teams), communication (sharing ideas with team members), presentation (demo day), and time management (working within the time available). The final day of the programme is Demo Day where students show parents and friends what they have learned.
In a world that is increasingly becoming digital, learning not only how to use computers but how computers work is fast becoming a critical skill. Learning code helps kids grow from consumers of technology to makers of technology.
Summer of Code begins July 31 and ends August 26. Visit www.relearn.ng to register children aged 5 through 18 and for further details.
