Eighth-grader Judy Bennett helps third-grader Isabela Centeno during the Hour of Code at the Cornwall Public Library on Dec. 7.
The Cornwall Public Library was among thousands of institutions that hosted An Hour of Code this week. The staff members didn’t know what to expect when they planned the event. So they were surprised by the large response.
The Hour of Code is a series of computer tutorials that are presented as games. Participants usually find that computer science can be fun, and that learning to code is easier than they thought.
The activity, however, is not a great spectator event. That was evident on Dec. 7 when the library’s Community Room was filled with kids and adults staring at screens. Some people brought computers from home; others borrowed them from the library.
Everyone proceeded at their own pace. If they made a mistake, the program told them to go back and try again. But it didn’t say what they had done wrong.
People were supposed to figure that out for themselves. But on Dec. 7, they had an alternative. The library recruited Carol Loggia from the computer industry to serve as a mentor.
Halfway into the hour, she acknowledged there wasn’t much for her to do. Part of her role was filled by members of the Teen Underclassman Team (T.U.T.), who worked one-on-one with people close to their age or older.
The success of the program encouraged library personnel to consider an evening Hour of Code for adults. It also made staff members wonder why the turnout was so large — especially since the public schools were hosting an Hour of Code throughout the week.
There are several possible explanations. (1) The library setting would be ideal for students who are home schooled. (2) Some kids may have wanted to practice before attempting to code in school. (3) There are several tutorials. Kids who enjoyed working with them at home might want to do more at the library.
The Dec. 7 activity didn’t only attract youngsters. A few adults participated as well. And the library’s experience wasn’t unique. The world-wide response was four times greater than the organizers expected.
To try the Hour of Code at home, visit code.org
