Our daughter Kaede has been attending Under the GUI classes for a couple of years now. Kaede has enjoyed the classes at Under the GUI as the teachers and support staff are knowledgeable and friendly. It has been great to see Kaede make connections between the games she plays on her tablet and the underlying programming. Kaede is gaining the understanding that you can be a creator, not just a user. We think that the knowledge that Kaede gains in Under the GUI classes will serve her in whatever path she takes in the future. The classes help kids gain a structured approach to problem solving and that’s a great skill. We plan to have Kaede continue at Under the GUI for as long as possible.
Simon has been attending classes with Under the GUI for a year and a half. He started showing an interest in computers and coding about three years ago. At that time, we found an online course for kids that he completed in half the recommended time. We began researching for a local coding class, and were lucky enough to find Under the GUI. Jason, Simon’s instructor, is very generous with his time and patience. He is quick to answer questions on the forum, when Simon is working on projects between classes. Simon has been able to use his coding skills at school, and has created some amazing projects. He built a very impressive video game for a social studies project that demonstrated his understanding of agricultural methods used in Ancient Egypt. Simon’s interest in computers has only grown during his time at Under the GUI. He has since purchased a drawing tablet and 3D printer that helped his skills grow even more. Under the GUI has definitely given Simon coding skills that will enhance his education into high school, and his future.
Xavier has been learning programming at Under the GUI for almost two years now. What started as an interest in Minecraft has turned into a passion for writing code. The staff and instructors are professional and maintain a comfortable learning environment; Xavier looks forward to attending his course every week. His interest in programming has also pushed him to practice at home, and even learn math concepts ahead of his school curriculum. The courses at Under the GUI feel like they’re preparing Xavier for industries of the future, where understanding code will likely be a major asset.
“[My son] very much enjoys his GUI classes and looks forward to them each week. He enjoys learning “a new language” and working with his friends in class. I like that my son is learning an important skill in a supportive environment. Jamie, the instructor, is great with the kids. He is learning new skills and building confidence with programming. He’s stretching himself in terms of logical and linear thinking. If a child is interested in programming, it’s a great environment to develop new skills.”
My son Cooper absolutely loves going to the coding classes at Under the GUI! He gets excited every Friday night when I tell him that’s what he is doing on Saturday morning. Classes are fun and educational and Cooper has designed some really cool games.
The staff are great and very accommodating if classes are missed!
Sophia’s experience at UTG has been fantastic. She started a year ago, and is still eager to come to class every week, proud of the programming skills that she’s learned. She’s had a great time creating her own games and watching other people play them. It’s great encouragement seeing others play what you’ve created yourself. She’s enjoyed the supportive, friendly atmosphere that the teachers provide, and the instruction seems to move at a perfect pace for her. I have been impressed with the welcoming and positive atmosphere at the school. Jamie and the instructors have been friendly, informative and always approachable.
They’ve really taken an effort to get to know Sophia and support her in her learning. As a parent, I like the fact that my daughter feels enabled to enter the world of computer programming. The logic and math skills she learns enrich her basic school curriculum, teaching her different ways of thinking about things.
Programming is a skill that most kids should learn something about, akin to basic computer literacy and that’s one of the reasons we’ve enrolled Sophia. I also think that the class functions as an enriched curriculum that teaches skills children don’t learn in the BC school classes, with enhanced logic and math skills. As the parent of a daughter, its so encouraging to watch her learn that computer programming is not just for boys, that she is equally able to learn the skills and have an interest in this area. I’d love to see more girls join up!
I have been in the Under the GUI’s (UTG) educational program for a little over 4 years now. Upon starting the program, I was quickly taught the basics of computer programming in a way which was both engaging and relatively easy to understand. Since that time, I have learned many new fascinating concepts from UTG. These include: pathfinding algorithms, genetic algorithms, sorting functions, 3D programming, and much more. With these new skills, I have been able to undertake jobs, which before I never imagined I’d have access to.
By far the most enjoyable job and learning experience I’ve had so far is working for UBC’s Immersive Technology Lab (ITL). This job allowed me to gain experience in the development of virtual reality applications and computer programs in general. Moreover, during my time with ITL, I was fortunate enough to work under Dr. Ray Hsu. This professor proved to be incredibly influential and insightful in the development of our start-up team, teaching us much about business and coordinating our engineering efforts.
The wisdom and patience of the Under the GUI teachers allowed even the most difficult concepts to seem within my grasp. Finally, if I had to sum up my experience at UTG in one word it would be “enthusiastic” as I never once got the impression that a teacher was anything less that enthusiastic to bestow his or her students with knowledge.