Abstract
This study investigated Grade 8 and 9 girls’ perceptions of their attitudes towards coding and robotics in the DigiGirlz Workshop in the Nkangala District. The DigiGirlz Workshop features hands-on learning opportunities, technology demonstrations, and seminars from brilliant business experts. The study emanated from the researcher’s observation that girls’ participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)-related courses, in which coding and robotics are included, remains minimal, and that, if nothing is done to address this issue, the gender gap in computer science will continue to widen. A qualitative analysis and the use of a constructivist interpretivist paradigm enabled the researcher to determine the worldview of Grade 8 and 9 girls who attended a DigiGirlz session and to comprehend their perceptions as well as evaluate their competencies in coding and robotics. The researcher observed that the DigiGirlz programme enabled the girls in Grades 8 and 9 to automate problem-solving and expand their cognitive capabilities in coding and robotics. Furthermore, the DigiGirlz Workshop inspired the Grade 8 and 9 girls to develop a passion for Coding and Robotics mainly because they liked it, found it fun to do, and educational. Visual programming tools, such as Scratch and the TANKS coding App, provided more interesting and motivating courses for the girls. The girls who studied and integrated the concepts and principles of coding and robotics in the DigiGirlz Programme in the Nkangala area were found to be more prepared for the impact of technology on their daily lives. The study recommends that girls should attend such workshops to gain technology skills for use in their career trajectories. Moreover, Grade 8 and 9 learners in the Nkangala area should continue to attend the DigiGirlz Workshop sessions to harness and ultimately use their skills in coding and robotics in their pursuit of further education and training. Future studies should investigate if there is a relationship between the DigiGirlz Training Workshops and the improvement of coding and robotics skills among learners.
Keywords: coding, robotics, girls, perceptions, DigiGirlz Workshop