Learners from ten Cape and Boland schools received their first taste of computer programming when they attended an introductory three-day course at Stellenbosch University at the end of February – without their lecturers being present in person!
The free introductory programming course on the Python programming language was a joint initiative of Stellenbosch University’s Computer Science Division, and the University of Cape Town Algorithm Circle.
Some lectures were presented in Cape Town by the leaders of the UCT Algorithm Circle, while others were presented by lecturers from Stellenbosch University. The participants attended the UCT lectures virtually, streaming the lectures over the internet to a computer laboratory at Stellenbosch University. For practical
sessions, university staff and students helped address the pupils’ questions.
The course was targeted at learners from Grade 8 to 11 with little or no knowledge of programming. Learners from Eben Dönges High, Belhar High, De Kuilen High, Bellville Technical High School, Spine Road High, Settlers High, Islamia College, Stellenbosch High and Strandfontein Secondary attended.