4^th Floor staff member Michael Grilo brought this idea to my attention and said, “The inspiration for co-learning workshops comes from the obvious recognition that everyone learns in various ways and at differing paces. Rather than struggling to keep everyone working at the same pace, co-learning encourages guided self-learning while maintaining the social and collaborative aspects of a classroom environment.”[1] With or without makerspaces, libraries are offering more tech classes, and even though our staff on the 4^th Floor is highly talented, we are not experts. A co-learning environment that uses existing teaching resources to teach others new skills does not require instructors to have an in-depth subject knowledge. This gives libraries the opportunity to bring people together to learn without the burden of being the expert in these very specialized subject areas.

Our first co-learning workshop taught HTML and CSS using Codecademy, an online platform that offers coding classes in several programming languages including Python, Java, PHP, SQL, JavaScript, Ruby, HTML, and CSS as well as application frameworks Ruby on Rails and AngularIS. Codecademy offers a free and a PRO version of their website. We had a very diverse group of people—including a retired accountant, a schoolteacher, two friends looking to start a blog, and an experienced coder—who attended the class. Grilo facilitated the class with our guest, David Alfonso Castaneda, a Pro Chat Advisor for Codecademy David who assists several students live online with any support and questions they have on the lessons or projects they are building on the platform, so it was a privilege to have him join us in person.

Castaneda added, “The Chattanooga Public Library is a wonderful hotbed of technology and innovation right now. As a long time fan of the 4^th Floor at the library, I always try to participate and contribute where I can. When I heard that they were having a co-learning event using the Codecademy platform, I felt obligated to help where I can. I helped set up the 4^th Floor with Codecademy’s teaching resources. With these resources, we were able to gauge everyone’s knowledge level with HTML and pair up people [based on skill level].”[2]

We had everyone log on to their accounts and join our classroom using the platform’s teaching resources. Throughout the three-hour session, people were working at their own pace through the lessons and asking each other for help along the way. While working, conversations about life, work, and more created the social environment that we were striving for. The classroom resource also gave us the opportunity to track the progress of our participants after the class concluded and if they were continuing to learn on their own, which is very useful information when measuring impact of this program.

We are hosting a series of co-learning workshops this summer based on the success of this learning environment and the teaching tools readily available for staff on the web. If you have any questions or want to start your own co-learning classes at your library, please feel free to contact Meredith Levine at mlevine@lib.chattanooga.gov.

References

[1] Michael Grilo, Chattacnooga Public Library staff member, in an interview with the author, May 4, 2016.

[2] David Alfonso Castaneda, Codecademy Pro Chat advisor, in an interview with the author,  April 28, 2016.

The post Collaborative Learning in Libraries first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

He was searching for a venue to host a RailsBridge workshop, weekend event that teaches coding to diverse groups of people, in the East Bay Area in California. The local library seemed like a good place to start. He connected with Dan Beringhele, an adult services librarian at the Berkeley Public Library’s Central Library. With the support of Anwan Baker, the supervising librarian for adult services, the three planned an introductory class to coding for adults.

Berkeley has a diverse community and Baker and Beringhele wanted to see what the interest level was in learning how to code or program. The library already offered basic computer classes, but nothing more advanced so they considered the class sort of an experiment or trial run.

The Rise in Demand for Free Coding Classes

A recent Library Journal article explored the popularity of coding and programming classes at a few different library systems. Like the Berkeley Public Library, the Orlando County Library System (OCLS) offered basic computer classes in a few different subject areas. Because of the rapid growth of Orlando’s technology sector, there was an increasing demand for courses on programming language and app development. The OCLS programs have been so successful and well-received by the community, that the library system has added online classes in addition to the in-person classes.[2]

The article also discusses the need for coding courses that don’t require a long-term commitment or a high fee to attend. These free library coding classes allow anybody to test out the technical waters to see if it is something they’d like to pursue—without the financial burden.

Offering coding classes isn’t just a benefit for the community; it helps the library as well. It will likely bring in new members of the community or people who have never attended a library program or class before. At Berkeley Public Library, Baker and Beringhele noticed that many of the attendees at the class weren’t library regulars and they hadn’t seen them at any of the other computer classes.[3]

Trial and Success

Beringhele said that he and Baker don’t have much experience with coding so they left it up to Siruguri to design the curriculum.[4] Siruguri framed the class around the basic concepts of how a browser works and how coding works, which covered HTML5, CSS and JavaScript.

The class was a full house with all twenty of the classroom’s computers taken plus a few other people who brought their own laptops. Baker and Beringhele said the feedback was overwhelmingly positive from the community.

Siruguri was also pleased that not only had many attendees say they learned something, but a handful wanted to learn even more, especially about JavaScript.[5] They are planning to do a follow-up class that focuses on JavaScript and a few other advanced topics later in the spring. It will require some pre-requisite understanding of HTML so the three aren’t sure if the interest levels and attendance will differ from the previous class. But Siruguri, Baker, and Beringhele are excited to see where this new track of programming takes the Berkeley Public Library.

“We can continue to refine the process to see what classes work for our community,” said Baker. “We’re looking forward to positive things to come out it.”[6]

References:

[1] Sameer Siruguri (library volunteer) in discussion with author, March 2016.

[2] Matt Enis. “How To Talk Code | Digital Literacy.” Library Journal. February 24, 2016.

[3] Anwan Baker and Dan Beringhele (Berkeley Public Library librarians) in discussion with author, March 2016.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Sameer Siruguri (library volunteer) in discussion with author, March 2016.

[6] Anwan Baker and Dan Beringhele (Berkeley Public Library librarians) in discussion with author, March 2016.

The post Breaking Barriers: How One Library Is Making Coding More Accessible first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

IGNITE International Girl’s Hackathon, a project supported by Global Fund for Women, is an exciting new addition to hacker culture. The event was held this past February and consisted of more than 70 girls from 5 cities throughout the world. They worked collaboratively to create digital websites, apps, or other forms of technology that would lead to safe physical and virtual space for women worldwide. The Global Fund for Women reported that teams were from Taipei, Taiwan, Trivandrum, India, Porto Alegre, Brazil, and New York and Oakland, United States. For 24 hours the groups of girls built innovative digital tools that would help women locally and internationally.

Last June, I wrote about the Hour of Code, an effort by code.org to have students and educators learn coding.^[2] To increase awareness for the event, code.org published some staggering statistics about the groups of people who are marginalized from coding and computer science. Amongst these statistics were women, who account for only 12% of computer science degrees in the United States.^[3]

So it should go without saying that I really admire the IGNITE International Girl’s Hackathon initiative. Not only does it bring young women into the conversation and provide solutions for decreasing gender violence and discrimination, but also it is being accomplished through one of the fields where women are dramatically underrepresented. Some of the projects that these teams designed were online support forums, apps that connect users with emergency resources in any given location, self-defense training tutorials, and a job-skills exchange platform. You can learn more about IGNITE International Girl’s Hackathon at http://bit.ly/1boT0qt.

How does this fit into the sphere of libraries? Well, promoting hackathons or hacking culture at the library is still a new concept, but not unheard of. In 2011, NPR wrote an article about libraries that are providing hackerspaces.^[4] Additionally, Georgia Public Library Services and Denver Public Library have sponsored events and opportunities for hacking and coding. ^[5][6]On a smaller scale, libraries are teaching patrons how to code or directing them to useful tutorials.^[7] Since libraries are organizations that promote information access and cultural discourse, I find #hackgirlsrights an inspiration for libraries that want to incorporate relevant social issues by hosting a hacker night with an aim toward an achievable goal. As a Business Liaison Librarian, I’m particularly interested in the possibly of working with social entrepreneurs that want to design and deliver websites and applications that fit their cause.

What do you think of IGNITE International Girl’s Hackathon? Do you think that you will incorporate something similar at your library? Share your comments below.

^[1]“What Is a Hackathon? – Definition from Techopedia.” Techopedias. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.techopedia.com/definition/23193/hackathon)>.

^[2] Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2014/06/code-at-your-library/).>

^[3] “What’s Wrong with This Picture?” Code.org. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://code.org/stats>

^[4] “Libraries Make Room For High-Tech ‘Hackerspaces'” NPR. NPR. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <http://www.npr.org/2011/12/10/143401182/libraries-make-room-for-high-tech-hackerspaces>.

^[5] “Hacking the Library: 48 Hours To Better Libraries Through Collaborative Technology.”Hacking the Library: 48 Hours To Better Libraries Through Collaborative Technology. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. http://glean.georgialibraries.org/hacking-the-library-48-hours-to-better-libraries-through-collaborative-technology/.

^[6] “Hacking, Making, and Coding at the Library.” Hacking, Making, and Coding at the Library. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. <https://www.denverlibrary.org/blog/hacking-making-and-coding-library>.

^[7] “Effectively Learning How To Code: Tips and Resources.” ACRL TechConnect Blog. 10 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Apr. 2015. http://acrl.ala.org/techconnect/?p=2460.

The post Hackathons @ the Library first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

At the outset, I would like to point out that there is value in working with different age groups.  A teen may actually benefit more (both educationally and with regards to self-efficacy) by tutoring a tween in a particular subject than by being taught the information by an adult.  In creating activities, however, a librarian needs to consider if opening an event up to a wider public will alienate some of the potential participants.  An example might be creating a coding class that is open to everyone ages 10-18.  If there are teens ages 15 to 18 with some coding experience and then younger attendees with no coding experience, the instructor is going to have a difficult time keeping everyone engaged.  In this instance, there might be greater value in creating both a beginner and an intermediate class.  Will teens engage differently in a book group that is more selective or more inclusive?

To some extent this is about knowing the community you serve.  Some communities find it impossible to reach those between the ages of 15 and 18. If that age group comes into the library at all, it is only to checkout a book and be on their way.  In these communities it makes sense that a teen event might be catered to those between the ages of 10 and 14, because that’s the population who attends.  It can, however, be difficult to determine whether these older teens are not attending because they feel the library does not cater to their needs, or because they simply do not wish to be involved with the library.  For this reason, it is incredibly important for teen librarians to reach out to local high schools and other places where teens are and ask how they can best support what teens want.  Increasingly the library is becoming a place where teens can learn about vocations, college, and other educational opportunities, but that does not mean that they will naturally be drawn to the library.  “Teen” events that do not speak to their interests will reinforce this devaluation of the library.

I am not advocating for every program to have a very specific community in mind, with a different book group for those aged 10-12, 13-15, 16-17, and 18-25 (the growth of “new adult” programming is another topic that was brought up and whether or not this group should be under the direction of young adult or adult librarians).  Firstly, there are very few libraries that would have the space, personnel, or budget to make this a viable option. Secondly, not all programs would benefit from this exclusivity.  Yet, seventeen and eighteen year-olds may face very different issues from younger teens as they get ready for college, leave home, and/or start a vocation.  Focused outreach to this group might not only be of benefit to them, but could also create events that are well attended and future supporters for the library.  Similarly, a program bringing together incoming freshman with those entering their sophomore year could help first year high school students make a smoother transition.

Perhaps my greatest takeaway from this session was that none of these changes happen overnight, but if we can achieve even moderate success, some of these changes can last generations.  Teens have friends and siblings, and if a librarian can convince a few teens that the library can be an ally to them, this can have a rippling effect.  Perhaps, the libraries that have teens attending their events are the ones who listened to the needs of their teen community five or ten years ago and have been flexible enough to meet their changing needs in the ensuing years.  Successful programming is not about what we create, but how we respond. Particularly with teens, we only get a response if we can grab their attention.

Cover image credit: SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget

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