Library Volunteers are the Perfect Role Models

By Dr. Terry McAdams
Director of Technology, Research, and Innovation

Over the past couple of weeks, approximately twenty parents who volunteer to work in the library have been learning to program using Python. For the majority who do not have a background in Computer Science, this represents a significant challenge because learning to program is not easy. Yet despite this, these life-long learners are demonstrating what it means to be a role model.

Organizational career-theorists have identified role models as critical to individual growth and development. Yet, there are a lack of female role models in the majority of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) subjects, most notably computing, engineering, and physics. If a girl with an interest in the STEM disciplines only encounters males in textbooks, on television, or in person, then they are likely to believe that this career is not for them.

You may have noticed that in schools and universities, the majority of the Science teachers are male. The exception, as is always the case, is biology. It is well known that boys tend to have male role models and girls tend to have female role models, so the lack of female science teachers is concerning. For twenty mothers to study computer programming is a significant statement and demonstrates to their daughters that STEM is for girls.

Apart from the obvious benefit of learning programming, I hope that these classes give the parents an insight into constructionism, one of many pedagogical approaches used at Branksome Hall Asia. Constructionist pedagogy advocates student-centered, discovery learning where students use information that they already know to acquire more knowledge.

In our classes, I have drawn upon the parents’ knowledge of geometry and we are programming geometric patterns. In only two weeks, our parent role models have applied key concepts including iteration, selection, and sequences. They have also developed their computational thinking skills by demonstrating the ability to modularise their programming code. I admire them greatly for their determination and risk-taking. I am sure that their daughters will do the same, even if they aren’t prepared to admit it.