Changing The Stereotype of Computer Games

In celebration of National Computer Science Education Week, over 560 students at the East-West School of International Studies participated in The Hour of Code.  The computer programming course was led by 27 East-West student teachers who are currently learning about coding through the Microsoft TEALS program, Technology Education and Literacy in Schools, which was developed by Kevin Wang, a Harvard educated Microsoft Engineer who noticed that while there was a great need for computer science education in our high schools, there were not enough teachers able to teach these courses.

From left to right, Tingting Ye, Melanie Katz, TEALS Teacher, Elizabeth Choi, Yao Zhang, and Changchieh Liu.  

Changchieh Liu, Yao Zhang, and Tingting Ye, all 11th graders, were selected to the TEALS program because of their high math and science scores, hopes the success of the TEALS program will open doors to Advanced Placement courses in computers next year.

Jenny Cen, a 12th grader and an avid Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Gamer (MMORPG), has taken an interest to designing fantasy games.  Last Spring, Jenny was a selected few among thousands of applicants to participate in CodeNow, an organization which provides a hands-on project based learning to students with no experience in programming to coding a project like an encryption engine or a Twitter app. 

Melanie Katz, Math teacher, Programmer, and TEALS teacher at East-West says, "The Hour of Code is to encourage students to consider majoring in computer science, as well as increasing the demand of computer classes in NYC public schools.  With the positive interest in the TEALS program, and funding from Councilman Peter Koo, we hope to offer AP computer classes next year." 

體驗教學樂趣,學生未來都可能成為電腦教師,左起葉婷婷、Melanie Katz、Elizabeth Choi、張耀中、劉昌杰。(記者呂賢修/攝影)

民間組織希望學童回家與父母分享體驗,改變對電腦遊戲的刻板印象。(記者呂賢修/攝影)

本周是全美電腦科學教育周,多個民間組織贊助全美超過1000萬名幼稚園至高中學生在校上一堂電腦課(Hour of Code)。法拉盛東西方國際中學(East-West School of International Studies)是紐約市入選的四所中學之一,全校458位學生分批完成電腦程式課並獲得證書。27位開學至今受訓擔任種子教師的學生中有23名亞裔,許多人「大開眼界」,與父母分享其中樂趣。民間機構希望家長在傳統的醫、法、商等專業外,能鼓勵子女大學主修電腦,也呼籲教育單位廣設電腦課程,解決本土人才不足的困境。

12日早上9時,學校的科學教室裡坐了30名六年級學生學生,三人一組共用一部筆記型電腦,按學長學姊的指導,以簡單的程式語言設計迷宮,七嘴八舌地討論如何讓畫面中的僵屍按指令穿梭於磚塊間,躲避食人花的攻擊,走到終點。「常在手機上玩這個遊戲,現在終於知道是如何創造的」,陳艾薇及Michelle Wang聽到用智慧型手機便可編寫此程式,都說回家想繼續按網路教學課程,設計更複雜的關卡。

先後畢業於柏克萊及哈佛大學,目前於微軟擔任工程經理的王寬(Kevin Wang),因曾經設計高中電腦教材及在課後班、夏令營教電腦引發的興趣,於2009年創辦了草根性組織「校園科技啟蒙」(Technology Education And Literacy in Schools,簡稱TEALS),至今已招募了400多位電腦工程師當校園義工,到120餘所學校授課,指導近6000名學生成為種子教師。該組織也負責培訓此次種子教師,再由受訓學生指導其他學生。

來自台灣的11年級學生劉昌杰、張耀中,及來自浙江溫州的葉婷婷,因數學、科學成績優異入選此計畫,9月至今每天上一堂程式語言課,這也是他們首次有機會接觸此類知識,從中培養更謹慎的邏輯思考,希望明年學校能順利開設AP電腦課,進一步學習,也有利未來大學申請。看到學弟妹們驚訝的神情,感覺一顆顆小種子正在發芽,是最大的成就感。

12年級的岑珍妮,父母希望她未來學醫,但自己喜歡玩電腦遊戲,也有藝術天分,一直幻想能從事遊戲設計。今年3月她入選非營利組織CodeNow獎學金,參加了三個周末的密集課程,「如果妳繼續學,就能創造出這樣的遊戲」,老師的話讓她心動不已。她認為許多父母對電腦遊戲有成見,「最聰明的學生最後都當醫生、律師了」。

學校數學老師Melanie Katz過去曾是大學電腦系副主任,認為由於教育預算不足,僅特殊或大型高中才能開設電腦課,許多有電腦專長的老師最後只能教數學,其實很多電腦工程師都厭倦長時間的工作,想轉行當老師卻等不到空缺。受政府鼓勵,AP課程在全美高中快速成長。據統計,歷史、微積分、生物等科目,報考人數都較十年前增加近一倍;但報考AP電腦測驗者,從2002年的占整體考生1.6%,降至去年的0.6%。若此次11年級的種子教師都想繼續學電腦,加上市議員顧雅明的撥款,學校明年有望開設AP電腦課。活動相關網址:code.org。

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