D. Topics in Computer Science · Topics in Computer Science: Sustainability, Emerging Research and Careers

Learning by Doing: Experiential Learning and Support Networks

D3.2 D3.4About 65 minutes

Learning goals

I can identify experiential learning opportunities related to computer science, such as co-op, job shadowing, career fairs and competitions.
I can plan how to get the most out of an experiential learning opportunity and reflect on it.
I can explain what a non-traditional career choice is.
I can identify groups and programs that support students in non-traditional computing careers, such as mentoring programs, networks, specialized postsecondary programs and associations.

Words to know

experiential learning
Learning by doing real activities outside the classroom, such as co-op, job shadowing or work experience.

co-operative education (co-op)
A program in which students earn secondary school credits through a work placement connected to classroom learning.

job shadowing
Spending time (often a day) observing a person at work to learn about their job.

SHSM
Specialist High Skills Major: an Ontario program that lets students focus on a sector, such as Information and Communications Technology, through a bundle of credits, certifications and experiences.

non-traditional career choice
A career in a field where people of your gender or background have been under-represented.

mentor
An experienced person who gives advice and support to someone earlier in their career.

networking
Building relationships with people who can share information, advice and opportunities.

Try before you buy

Would you buy a car without a test drive? Choosing a career is a much bigger decision, yet many people pick a program without ever seeing the job up close. Experiential learning is the test drive. This lesson covers two expectations: finding experiential learning opportunities (D3.2), and the groups and programs that support students choosing non-traditional computing careers (D3.4).

Experiential learning opportunities

Co-operative education (co-op): you earn secondary school credits through a work placement, such as in a school board IT department, a software company or a business's help desk, combined with classroom learning.
Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) in Information and Communications Technology: offered at some Ontario schools. Students complete a bundle of nine Grade 11 and 12 credits (including four ICT-related major credits and two co-op credits), six certifications (three compulsory: CPR Level C with AED, first aid and WHMIS, plus three electives, which can include options such as networking or project management), and career exploration and "reach ahead" experiences.
Job shadowing and job twinning: observing a worker for a day, or pairing with a co-op student at their placement.
Work experience: a short placement of a week or two.
Take Our Kids to Work Day: many Grade 9 students across Canada spend a day in November at a parent's or relative's workplace, so you may already have done this.
Career fairs and postsecondary fairs: talk to employers, colleges and universities in one place.
Competitions and hackathons: for example the Canadian Computing Competition, run by the University of Waterloo's Centre for Education in Mathematics and Computing, or Skills Ontario competitions.
Volunteering, clubs and summer jobs: helping at a library's tech help desk, running a coding club for younger students, building websites for community groups.
Personal projects: a portfolio of programs you have built shows employers and programs what you can do.

Experiential learning ranges from a few hours at a career fair to a full co-op placement that earns secondary school credits.

Getting the most out of it

Before: set two or three goals ("Learn how the help desk tracks problems"). Prepare questions. Find out the dress code, hours and safety rules.
During: be on time, be curious, take notes, ask questions, and follow workplace safety and privacy rules (you may see confidential information).
After: write a reflection. What did you learn? What surprised you? Do you want to do this work? Thank your host in writing. Add the experience to your log and résumé.

log = [("career fair", 3), ("job shadowing", 6), ("coding club", 10),

("volunteering", 12), ("coding club", 8), ("competition", 3)]

totals = {}

for activity, hours in log:

totals[activity] = totals.get(activity, 0) + hours

for activity in sorted(totals):

print(activity + ":", totals[activity], "h")

print("Total:", sum(totals.values()), "h")

An experience log. Keeping track helps when you write a résumé or apply to programs. Output (one line each): career fair: 3 h / coding club: 18 h / competition: 3 h / job shadowing: 6 h / volunteering: 12 h / Total: 42 h

Worked example

Example 1: Planning a job-shadowing day

Jordan will shadow a network administrator at the local school board for one day. Write Jordan's plan.

Goals: (1) understand what a network administrator does in a normal day; (2) learn how problems are reported and tracked; (3) find out what education and certifications the administrator recommends.
Questions to ask: What does a typical day look like? What problem was hardest to solve this year? Which skills from school do you use most? What would you study if you were 16?
Logistics: confirm the time and place, dress code, lunch, and how to get there; bring a notebook.
Professionalism: respect privacy (do not take photos of screens), follow safety rules, put the phone away.
After: write a one-page reflection the same evening and send a thank-you email within two days.

Clear goals, prepared questions, logistics, professional behaviour, and a reflection and thank-you afterward.

Non-traditional career choices

A career choice is non-traditional when people of your gender or background have historically been under-represented in that field. In computing, women, Indigenous people, Black Canadians and people with disabilities have often been under-represented. (The same idea applies in reverse in other fields, such as men in nursing or early childhood education.)

Why does it matter? Teams with different backgrounds notice different problems and design for more users. Remember the AI lesson: a face-recognition system trained mostly on one group made more errors for others. Diverse teams are more likely to catch that.

Supports for non-traditional paths

The curriculum names four kinds of support:

Mentoring programs: an experienced person gives advice, shares contacts and helps you through challenges.
Virtual networking and support groups: online communities where people with shared experiences connect, ask questions and share opportunities.
Specialized postsecondary programs: outreach, bridging and support programs at colleges and universities, such as women-in-engineering and computing outreach, Indigenous student centres, and accessibility services.
Trade and industry associations: professional organizations that run events, mentoring and scholarships.

Examples in Canada include:

Canada Learning Code (formerly Ladies Learning Code), which runs coding workshops, including programs for girls and women.
Actua, a national STEM outreach organization, with programs such as InSTEM for Indigenous youth and a National Girls Program.
Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN), a Canadian network offering mentoring and networking for Black professionals in technology.
CIPS (the Canadian Information Processing Society), a professional association for people in information technology.

Your school's guidance counsellor can help you find local programs. Most are free or low-cost for students.

A support network for any student, and especially for someone choosing a path where people like them are under-represented. No one has to build a career alone.

Just for fun

Job shadowing does not mean following someone silently around the office like an actual shadow.

Ask questions! Shadows never do, and that's why nobody ever offers them a co-op placement.

Hands-on activity

Build your experience plan

You need: a computer with internet access, and paper or a document.

With a parent or guardian, list the experiential learning opportunities available to you: ask your school about co-op and SHSM, check for career fairs, clubs and competitions, and think about people you know who work with computers.
Choose two you could do in the next year. For each, write goals, the steps to apply, and deadlines.
Find two support organizations or programs (from this lesson or your own research) that fit your interests. Write what they offer and how to join.
Start an experience log in Python (like the program above) or in a spreadsheet, and add anything you have already done (clubs, volunteering, projects).
Practise: write three questions you would ask in an informational interview or job-shadowing day.

What to look for: realistic, specific opportunities with real deadlines; supports matched to the student's interests; a working log.

Your turn

Name five experiential learning opportunities related to computer science.

What is co-op?

What are the three compulsory certifications in the ICT SHSM?

Name one computing competition open to Canadian high school students.

What is a non-traditional career choice?

Name the four kinds of support for non-traditional paths given in the curriculum.

Why do diverse teams build better software?

More practice: warm-up

What is job shadowing?

What does SHSM stand for?

What is a mentor?

What should you send after a job-shadowing day?

Which organization was formerly called Ladies Learning Code?

More practice: on your own

Add ("volunteering", 5) to the log. What are the new volunteering total and overall total?

Explain why a reflection afterward is an important part of experiential learning.

A student says, "I'm the only girl in my computer science class, so maybe it's not for me." Suggest two supports and explain how each could help.

Why might a student choose a co-op placement in a hospital IT department rather than a software company?

List three things to do before a co-op or job-shadowing placement begins.

Challenge

Modify the log program so it also prints the activity with the most hours. Write the added lines and the output for the sample log.

Design a mentoring program for Grade 9 and 10 students interested in computing at your school. Include who the mentors are, how students are matched, how often they meet, and how you would know if it is working.

Compare co-op and a personal portfolio project as ways to prepare for a computing career. Give one advantage of each and say which you would choose and why.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which experiential learning opportunity earns secondary school credits through a work placement?

A Grade 11 student spends one day observing a web developer at work. This is:

Which is an example of a non-traditional career choice?

Which is a trade or industry association for IT professionals in Canada?

What should you do after a job-shadowing day?

Which organization offers InSTEM programs for Indigenous youth?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Expectation D3.2 asks students to identify and report on experiential learning opportunities (co-op, job shadowing, career fairs), and D3.4 asks them to identify groups and programs that support students entering non-traditional computing careers (mentoring, virtual networks, specialized postsecondary programs, associations).

How to help: You are often the best source of contacts. Think about friends, relatives or colleagues who work with computers and could host a job-shadowing day or a short interview. Ask the school about co-op and SHSM deadlines (they are often set a year ahead). If your teen is in a group that is under-represented in computing, help them connect with a program or mentor; feeling less alone makes a big difference.

Common difficulties:

Waiting until Grade 12 to look for opportunities; many have early deadlines.
Treating job shadowing as passive. Prepared questions make it valuable.
Thinking support programs are only for people who are struggling. They are for anyone who wants connections and opportunities.