Female Led Python Courses in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Lesson on Python Loops Taught in Course

Sabrina Zafar recently partnered with The Mirror of Society, an organization in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa dedicated to creating a platform where students can engage in educational workshops and feature their writing, to lead a recurring introductory Python course. Marfa Habib, a Master’s student at the Institute of Management Sciences in Peshawar, Pakistan, served as the teacher assistant for the course. The curriculum followed Carnegie Mellon University’s CS Academy CS01 course, where students learn how to declare variables, call functions, and create animations. 

Lesson in which students defined their own functions to create animations

Students collaborated and discussed concepts they found difficult with Sabrina during office hours. Furthermore, they were encouraged to connect with Sabrina outside of class to learn more about how they could apply their skills in the field of their choice and continue learning concepts beyond the course’s instruction. 

Python is one of the most in-demand skills for employers for a multitude of reasons. It has become the programming choice of high-growth fields, such as data science and machine learning. Furthermore, due to its open-source nature, the range of applications of Python has expanded to fields previously considered unrelated to computer science, such as fine arts. 

Lesson involving multiple animations and mathematics functions

Rabia, a lecturer at the University of Peshawar in the Art and Design department, had the following to say about the course: “I want to start by acknowledging the expertise and dedication of Ms. Sabrina, my course developer and instructor. Her exceptional teaching skills made the introductory course on Python both engaging and easy to follow. As an artist and a non-technical person, I found her step-by-step tutorials incredibly beneficial in breaking down complex coding concepts into manageable and practical lessons. The course, which focused on image creation for games, was eye-opening and inspired me to explore how Python can be used for textile design and calligraphy. Thanks to Ms. Sabrina’s guidance, I now feel motivated to pursue learning Python from the very basics to harnessing the power of AI for creating art. This experience has truly sparked a passion for combining technology with creativity, and I’m excited to continue this journey!”. 

Checkpoints students would go through in class

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is an area poised to benefit immensely from the global technological revolution, as there is a sizable population of talented, young entrepreneurs and students interested in developing applications and conducting research leveraging computer science. Although students in areas such as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are eager to pick up technical skills such as Python, many barriers hinder them from joining the technological revolution led by first-world countries. Aside from factors such as limited technological resources, there remains a lack of qualified instructors dedicated to teaching these fields. Although online, self-guided courses are available, students are unable to work on exercises on their own and receive proper instruction when they struggle with certain concepts. Furthermore, many of these courses are only available in English, which is not these students’ first language. This additional barrier is one of the drivers for the “Digital Divide” between developed nations and third-world countries. This gap in technical literacy is even more pronounced for women living in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Not only do women face greater barriers in pursuing general education in these areas in comparison to their counterparts in first-world countries, but they are additionally affected by the gender divide in STEM that has persisted in developed nations for decades. Given the lack of female representation in STEM and persistent messaging that women are less adept than their male counterparts in science and mathematics, women often feel discouraged from attending STEM courses. As courses taught by Decoding Barriers are instructed by and promoted by women, over 50% of the students are women. 

Unit Quiz provided to students

Courses such as the ones taught by Decoding Barriers equip students with the necessary building blocks to pursue a career in STEM. Students benefit from personalized instruction and mentorship, as students are encouraged to reach out with any questions on Python and its applications. Furthermore, students form meaningful connections with other individuals in their community who are interested in taking the course to develop applications, take advanced programming courses, and serve as mentors for future programming courses. 

To learn more about Decoding Barriers and how you can get involved, please visit our website at www.decodingbarriers.org.