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| Teenage computer coders on the rise | Teenage computer coders on the rise |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| The world's biggest learning technology show has opened in London, with Education Secretary Michael Gove promising a more ambitious computer science curriculum in schools in England. He says pupils as young as five will learn to code and program - but many children already do. | |
| Amy Mather's first taste of coding was at a science festival, when she was 11. | Amy Mather's first taste of coding was at a science festival, when she was 11. |
| Now 14, she designs games, writes her own software and was named the European Digital Girl of the Year in 2013. | Now 14, she designs games, writes her own software and was named the European Digital Girl of the Year in 2013. |
| She even speaks at industry events, to encourage other children to give it a try. | She even speaks at industry events, to encourage other children to give it a try. |
| "Everyone has ideas how to make our lives easier," she says. | "Everyone has ideas how to make our lives easier," she says. |
| "Coding gives you the power to do that. The sky's the limit." | "Coding gives you the power to do that. The sky's the limit." |
| Amy, from Manchester, is not surprised by the growing popularity of coding: "Everyone has a smartphone, and we all use computers". | Amy, from Manchester, is not surprised by the growing popularity of coding: "Everyone has a smartphone, and we all use computers". |
| Callum Easton, 14, was at the London show with a group from his school in Portland, Dorset. | Callum Easton, 14, was at the London show with a group from his school in Portland, Dorset. |
| His father, an engineer, gave him his first taste of coding when he was barely old enough to go to school. | His father, an engineer, gave him his first taste of coding when he was barely old enough to go to school. |
| "There are people who think computers are not that cool, but they are," he says. | "There are people who think computers are not that cool, but they are," he says. |
| "And the government is taking more and more notice of how coding can earn the country money." | "And the government is taking more and more notice of how coding can earn the country money." |
| Someone very aware of the growing interest in coding among teenagers is Steven Flower. | Someone very aware of the growing interest in coding among teenagers is Steven Flower. |
| He set up a group for young coders in Manchester in 2009. About eight turned up - all of them boys. | He set up a group for young coders in Manchester in 2009. About eight turned up - all of them boys. |
| Now he's expecting 150 teenagers next month at his Manchester Coder Dojo. It will be a full house, and it is free. | Now he's expecting 150 teenagers next month at his Manchester Coder Dojo. It will be a full house, and it is free. |
| Many bring their own laptop, or their Raspberry Pi - a relatively simple computer for coding. And the parents who used to drop off their kids, and come back later, now often stay to see what is going on. | Many bring their own laptop, or their Raspberry Pi - a relatively simple computer for coding. And the parents who used to drop off their kids, and come back later, now often stay to see what is going on. |
| "The average age is about 10-and-a-half, but we have six-year-olds coming along," he says. | "The average age is about 10-and-a-half, but we have six-year-olds coming along," he says. |
| Plenty of those who turn up are girls - but they are still outnumbered by boys by a ratio of 60:40. | Plenty of those who turn up are girls - but they are still outnumbered by boys by a ratio of 60:40. |
| "Coding gets more attention now because it's cooler," Steve says. | "Coding gets more attention now because it's cooler," Steve says. |
| And he acknowledges the occasional story of someone selling their app for big money plays a part. | And he acknowledges the occasional story of someone selling their app for big money plays a part. |
| "But overwhelmingly, people are here for the social element," he says. "They get to learning something interesting - and it's fun." | "But overwhelmingly, people are here for the social element," he says. "They get to learning something interesting - and it's fun." |
| For Amy Mather, the stereotypical image of a teenager coder sitting in a darkened bedroom has been consigned to history. | For Amy Mather, the stereotypical image of a teenager coder sitting in a darkened bedroom has been consigned to history. |
| "Of course I call myself a geek," she says. "But look it up in the dictionary - it means someone who's an enthusiast." | "Of course I call myself a geek," she says. "But look it up in the dictionary - it means someone who's an enthusiast." |
| She is, and she is far from alone. | She is, and she is far from alone. |