Ella the Engineer - Concept Document

Ella the EngineerConcept Document

Monday, February 24, 14

Women have higher college graduation rates

compared to men


Men disproportionately outnumber women in the number of STEM

degrees received


In 2008 only 21% of women received

degrees in computer science


2004 approximately 192,900 female

engineers in the US compared to 1,515,000

men


1/3 of the 190K were software engineers


In 1999 women made up 1/4 of all engineers

under 25


In 1999 women made up 1/20 of all engineers

over 49


In 2 states, NO girls took AP Computer Science last year


In 2003 approximately 20% of new engineers

were women, compared with about

80% of men


Women have majored in engineering

programs at lower rates than men


Why?


Traditional “male breadwinner”

model


Socialized early in their childhoods, girls are raised

where science, engineering, and mathematics are promoted as

“male professions”


Media rarely profiles prominent female engineers


How to change?


Need more role models


Women with one or two engineering parents are said to be moderately more likely to

major in engineering


Encouragement from teachers, counselors, administrators are

positive impacts


Grade school involvement and exposure is critical


Social changes are needed to support female engineers


Executive professionals say...


More woman in tech...


Enter...


...Ella The Engineer


A kids-focused animation series about Ella, a software

engineer


Ella uses her engineering smarts to solve everyday

problems


Each episode supports the concept of software

engineering through problem solving techniques


At the end of each episode, kids learn how to do a simple coding challenge and go offline to a website and/or app to see

the results


In the first episode, we meet Ella, a software engineer. Ella uses her skills in development and engineering to solve everyday

problems. In this episode there seems to be a problem with the main traffic light in the town. The light is controlled by

computer software and it seems to be blinking all the colors randomly, causing a traffic backup in the town. All the people in

the town are having trouble getting to work, school, and the stores. They are stuck in the town square.

The mayor calls Ella to solve the “glitch”. Through her software and computer skills, Ella realizes there is a “glitch” or “broken” code. She fixes the problem with the help of Tabby (her Tablet), Smarty (her Smarthphone), plus Mac (her laptop) and Mousey

(Mac’s mouse). They all act as friends and advisors to Ella. Ella uses her coding skills to solve the problem and the result is

that the traffic light operates as normal. Now all the town people can get to work, home and school.

In the end, Ella provides the kids at home with a coding challenge. They can interact and write code on the Ella the Engineer app, which creates a scene/action, opens additional scenes, secret codes, or earns points for merchandise, other

stuff

The main purpose is to educate kids on how code and how software is being used today on things that they see everyday (e.g. traffic lights). It also provides an engaging experience by

providing a coding challenge at the end of each episode, which is then discussed at the beginning of the next episode. Sort of

“did you get this result”.


Help us finish the idea!


Contact:

Anthony Onesto

A dad with two girls (and a son) who would like to help drive interest in coding with young kids.

[email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Ella the Engineer - Concept Document

Education

Transcript of Ella the Engineer - Concept Document