July 20, 2020
Berenike (15 years old) and Henriette (13 years old) are participants in our Python Advanced Programming Course, which is currently held online. They both attend a science gymnasium in Munich. We conducted an interview with them about their experiences with programming and asked them what it is like to learn something new together with other (older) women.
You have participated in our Python beginner course and are currently attending the online Python advanced course. How do you like the courses?
Berenike:
Of course, the class only establishes a foundation for the work with Python, but I’m already having a lot of fun in programming; every week I’m looking forward to the course again - because of the other participants AND for the programming ;) - and I also got used to the physical distance during video conferences very quickly. I really hope that the newly acquired knowledge is just the beginning of a long and exciting programming period. Thanks a lot for this great opportunity <3
Henriette:
I really enjoy the classes. They are built on each other and you learn something new every lesson. You seldom have the feeling of non-understanding, because it is explained in a comprehensible way and you are allowed to ask questions on the topic at any time. These are always answered carefully for everyone who wants to understand it. Since we get shown an exemplary program, you get a good idea which of the acquired skills can be put to practical use. All these things lead to the fact that it never gets boring, but everybody can follow the course well.
How did you come to sign up for a Python programming course?
Berenike:
In my circle of friends there is actually almost nobody who doesn’t own a mobile phone or a computer. Nearly every teenager my age has played a video game, but I bet that very few of them know how to program such a game - myself included. I have often been annoyed about this lack of knowledge, but somehow I have never found the time to make up for it, besides all the other things. When my mother sent me the link to a Python basic course a few weeks ago - and no other dates kept me from it - I decided to finally face it.
Henriette:
I always was interested in how you can ‘teach’ a computer. There are rules and it has to do with logic. It is also fascinating how the technical devices we know from everyday life can work and even ‘react’. After all, we have the subject “computer science” at school. We haven’t learned as much as we did in the course, but it was enough to make me enthusiastic and make me want to learn more. I never had the time and motivation to do it regularly, but then my mother discovered this course and my sister and I wanted to give it a try.
Before our course, did you have any contact with the subject of programming or computer science, since you attended a science-oriented school?
Henriette:
At school we have computer science as a subject every second semester. I liked it but I always found it stressful because the level and especially the ambition to learn programming was so differently distributed. As a result, the material was often not deepened well enough.Therefore it was complicated to understand the next topic if you could not understand the basics yet. So I downloaded the program and tried it at home. That was actually fun, but at some point I ran out of ideas on what kind of programs to write, we hadn’t learned that much so far. In the following school year there was no computer science, so I stopped programming. Hence the course did not trigger my urge to code, however it helped me to start learning. Until then I was satisfied, as long as I could deal with the school material. But now I want to understand it better.
Berenike:
Yes, this year we have already programmed a lot with Java, which I really enjoyed. As our school is a scientific and technical school, there is also the possibility to take computer science as a final exam. But besides school I have not programmed yet, or only irregularly. But I discovered the fun of programming through a course at the Hackerschool, wanted to continue and take a course at moinworld.
If you compare programming with other school subjects, what do you like the most about it?
Berenike:
I think the main difference between programming and other school subjects is that programming is much more practical than theoretical. Besides, there are no limits to creativity and everyone can set their own goals. (e.g. a certain program)
Henriette:
It’s much easier to set your own goals in programming and only you can determine how fast you want to learn, how difficult the program or how big the projects should be. It’s also great that you can see your own results much better and have a good overview of what you can already do . You can think creatively, as well as follow logic and rules. Besides, there is always something new to discover ;)
Do you think that programming is more a “boy” thing? How do you think we could get more girls interested in this topic?
Henriette:
I don’t think that programming is just for boys. But it is noticeable that more boys than girls claim that they are good at it and that they have fun. That’s a pity, because this is exactly what scares off girls who would like to try it. They always think that they won’t be able to do it that well anyway, because it’s a boy thing. Girls should have the opportunity to try on their own. If, for example, computer science is taught at school and there are a few boys who have done it before, the girls are often afraid of making a fool of themselves and do not dare to ask questions. I think girls need something like this course to get an idea of how much fun it can be. Girls often need someone to motivate them at the beginning, because they are more afraid that they can’t do it, but once their interest is aroused, it often works by itself and just as well as with the boys - if not better ; ). I think that girls are more likely to find the courage to give it a try when they know that they are not the only ones, and that there are many others who sit in the same boat and want to learn it.
Berenike:
You just have to admit that, generally,more boys show interest in technology than girls.. However, this does not mean that computer science is a “boys’ subject”. I think that we girls just need a little kickoff, meaning this kind of programming course is needed . I’m almost sure that there are as many girls as boys who are enthusiastic about technology - but many of them just don’t know it yet. You just have to market the courses a little bit better, because I’m sure there are a lot of girls who would discover their passion for programming just like I did!
And you?
Please contact us if you would also like to share our story at moin@moinworld.de