Graduate students in the School of Information have created Coding Commons, an organization that provides a collaborative workspace for students of any discipline who are interested in learning more about programming and the inner workings of computers.
Kristin Sullivan, communications liaison for the Association for Information Science and Technology, believes that students can learn a variety of skills in Coding Commons. “I think Coding Commons is effective in introducing UT students to various tech topics ranging from software design to programming to Wikipedia editing,” she said.
Students can apply what they learn in the Coding Commons to any discipline. In a recent session, students learned how to use the program command line, which connects the user with the internal workings of the computer. If they can program in command line, students can manipulate the mechanical and electrical components that make computers work, such as processors. They can also gain administrative authority to pull up many files and run applications such as the Internet and Facebook.
Students who know these layers can use their computers for many applications, such as creating video games or designing websites. Althea Logan, co-director for the Association for Information Science and Technology, feels that it was beneficial for students benefit by knowing more about computers. “I think it is really practical for most jobs that deal with computers to understand what’s under the hood,” Logan said. “It’s really helpful to understand how to use a computer for your needs.”
Upcoming sessions of Coding Commons will include an introduction to programming and student presentations on insights into understanding how to use computers beyond the user-interface level.
Feb. 19, 2016