Debugging
In March, I watched a Brown Bag Webinar developed by University of Minnesota Extension and NDSU Extension Centers for Youth Development. It was entitled, Coding without Computers. I was attracted to the title initially for two reasons. First, “Coding”: whenever possible, I push myself to embrace STEM, because it is not a content area that immediately appeals to me. Second, “without Computers”, one of the reasons STEM work is challenging in outreach is lack of resources. In my program, I do not currently possess a classroom set of computers, nor would I feel it was appropriate to require that of a participating organization. So, Coding without Computers sounded like a perfect professional development opportunity.
When the afternoon came to watch the recorded webinar, I found myself somewhere I had never imagined, telecommuting from my bedroom. It was only the second day of both restructuring a schedule that had included many face to face interactions and attempting to figure out what about me was experiential learning based so that I could transition Positive Youth Development content to a virtual learning platform. I was frustrated by both.
The link to the webinar came with a downloadable handout. Soon, the content caught me again by the top two reasons coding is important to youth development.
- Coding is a language.
- Coding teaches problem solving skills.
Language and problem solving skills were topics of previously posted Youth-Adult Partnership Spotlights. At least one of them, and usually both, are a part of the four dimensions of Youth-Adult Partnership: authentic decision making, mentorship, youth and adults as partners, community connectedness. While the series of activities included in the webinar would progress from simple to basic knowledge and interactions built into coding activities, it was the first one that made me sit up from my current telecommuting position next to my dog.
Title: Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich.
A summary of the activity is as follows: Youth are instructed to teach a computer how to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Youth write the instructions. Adults follow the instructions EXACTLY. Participants debug the activity and fix the algorithm design. (You can find the entire webinar here https://youtu.be/aKefbeP0aSQ and the peanut butter and jelly activity here https//:www.youtube.com/watch?v=FN2RM-CHkul).
I had become accustomed to asking during my youth focus groups for a myriad of definitions to assumed words like ‘success’, ‘support’, or ‘dedication’ mean. So, if you’re wondering. . .
Debugging means: “process of finding and resolving defects or problems in a computer program.”
Algorithm design means: “Creating step-by-step instructions on how to complete a task.”
If you paused from this blog to click over and watch the activity, you most likely returned smiling, because it is funny to see someone attempt to put a knife into a jar that still has the lid on and even funnier to see them stick a knife into the jar and then lift the entire jar to spread across a slice of bread.
But, what really sticks with me? (Hint: it’s not the extra creamy peanut butter)
1) Why are miscommunications between how we give and receive instructions or expectations humorous in this scenario, but not our real life daily scenarios, for example, one where we are guiding youth to complete a personal goal?
2) What is different about the mindset of coders in their problem solving than youth and adults? Throughout the webinar, the general tone was that coders expect bugs and enjoy the challenge of finding the functional algorithm. In Youth-Adult Partnership, aren’t we also coding without computers?
In these times, when so much is new and we are creating new algorithms for our ways of being, the importance of supportive relationships cannot be overstated. Be well.
RESOURCES
This list of resources is shorter than usual due to the high amount being shared daily as we readjust to our current normal. For a list of curated Division of Extension resources, https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/covid19/
“The Importance of being ‘youth-centric’ in real life is a blog post from the University of Minnesota Extension. The author frames her work in the discussion of ‘youth centrism’. This phrase echoes recent conversations around curriculum revision in respect to if or how the content centers or honors diverse thought, cultures, practices, among others. Often times, I refer to multiple understandings of words or translations in blog posts. In a sense that still means there is an outside needing to be brought in. While that may always to a certain extent be true, what if the outsider was the adult in the partnership and not the youth? Read the full article here: https://blog-youth-development-insight.extension.umn.edu/2018/02/the-importance-of-being-youth-centric.html#more
In his blog post, youth author Mason McClintock writes, “In that moment, I realized that the accepting and inclusive environment that I had come to know so well in 4‑H did not just emerge out of nowhere. It is not always easy, but taking action to create an atmosphere of positivity and belonging is what must be done if we desire to live in a world where love does indeed overcome hate.” I chose to refer to his article here because of his recognition of the intentionality of success. Debugging requires action, not assumption. Read the entire post here:
I appreciated this article, because it speaks to the growth mindset that we must all sustain when working through obstacles, both alone and together. For some time, I have disliked the word ‘expert’, especially when applied to myself. I believe that the desire to protect the facade of ‘expert’ in particular situations leads us to put up walls or marginalize others’ voices instead of reaching out and learning together. I believe that the persona blocks youth disproportionately from new spaces because they see end results as naturally occurring and not strategies or skills built from experience. I encourage you to read the article and have an open conversation about the question, “Is it Rational to Feel Like an Impostor?” http://ls.wisc.edu/news/is-it-rational-to-feel-like-an-impostor
