print(‘Hello, Grok Blog!’)
We’ll be bringing you tips, updates and stories about coding, computer science, and solving problems that matter. But first, let’s get acquainted.
Grok Learning’s mission is to teach the world to code, support teachers with engaging computing activities for the classroom, and to share our passion for learning. Grok was founded in 2013 by a team of educators from the University of Sydney. James and Tara were academics in computer science and astronomy; and Nicky and Tim were PhD students with a passion for computer science outreach and education.
The four have been the driving force behind the National Computer Science School (NCSS), running outreach programs that engage, excite, and inspire Australia’s kids to become technology creators and makers. James was also an author of the Australian Curriculum: Digital Technologies, the new national computing curriculum.
The team has won faculty, university and national awards for teaching excellence, an AIIA iAward, and an Engineering Australia Excellence award (Education and Training). In 2014, James was named ICT Leader of the Year by the ICT Educators of NSW and the Australian Council for Computers in Education. In 2015, Nicky received a “Making IT Happen” award from the International Society for Technology Education (ISTE).
A few NCSS initiatives worth taking a look at include the NCSS Summer School, a 10-day residential program for Australia’s most promising young programmers, the NCSS Challenge, which in 2016 taught 10,000 students and teachers Python for 5 weeks, and the Girls’ Programming Network which runs free workshops for girls interested in exploring computer science and programming.
Since then, our team has grown to include more fantastic developers and educators: former NCSS students (Ben and Vivian), tutors (Jim and Katie), and teachers (Jane).
Having taught thousands of students across Australia to program in classrooms, lecture theatres, and online, we’re keen to bring challenging and inspiring STEM education into classrooms and homes around the world.
We believe that a solid computer science understanding is vital whether you want to fight climate change, make the next blockbuster movie, or unlock the secrets of the universe. We’re excited to be a part of your coding journey, and are keen to see what problems you’ll solve.
Grok on!
