C3.2 Building Projects to Put Knowledge to Use

Image of girls and women using technology.

Level 3 Prompts - Reflect & Write: Reflect on the following prompts and write out your responses. You will use them later on in the lesson.
Don’t Just Learn for the Sake of It; Build Projects

1. Project Ideas: Based on your interests or current skills, brainstorm at least three tech projects you could complete. These could range from building a simple website to developing a small app or automating a task. Enter details about what these projects would look like and what new skills they would help you gain.
2. Portfolio: What are some challenges or problems you’ve faced in your personal or professional life that could inspire a tech project? Enter ideas for projects that showcase how you would use technology to solve these problems.
3. GitHub: If you had to add a project to your GitHub or portfolio tomorrow, what would you want to showcase? Enter a detailed plan for a project you could realistically start and complete within a month.
4. Practical Learning: Describe one way you could put your learning into action right now, even if it’s small. Enter ideas for side projects, volunteer work, or collaborations that would give you hands-on experience.

Non-Tech Related Prompts

1. Passion Project: If you could build or create something completely unrelated to tech, what would it be? Enter how the skills you’d need for that project could transfer into building meaningful tech projects.
2. Creative Outlet: What are some creative hobbies or side projects you’ve enjoyed in the past (e.g., painting, writing, cooking)? Enter how engaging in these activities helps you think outside the box and how that might benefit your approach to tech projects.
3. Problem-Solving: Describe a time when you solved a real-world problem in a non-tech setting (e.g., organizing an event, helping a friend move efficiently). Enter how that experience taught you about project management and execution.
4. Hands-On Learning: What’s a skill or craft you learned by doing, rather than by reading or studying? Enter how that hands-on learning experience could inspire you to take action in your tech learning journey.

Lesson 3: Building Projects to Put Knowledge to Use
Objective: Motivate individuals to apply what they have learned by creating projects that can enhance their tech portfolios.
Instructions:

1. Step 1: Reflect and Respond
   Using the prompts under Don’t Just Learn for the Sake of It:
   • Brainstorm tech projects based on your non-tech interests (e.g., building a website for your favorite hobby).
   • Think of a real-world problem you’ve solved in a non-tech setting and consider how that could inspire a tech project.
   • Reflect on hands-on learning experiences and how they could translate into practical tech work.
2. Step 2: Generate ChatGPT Prompts
   Use your ideas to ask ChatGPT for guidance:
   • “What beginner coding projects can I do if I love graphic design?”
   • “How can I create a project that uses my organizational skills from event planning?”
3. Step 3: Research Tech Professionals and Portfolios
   • Look for women on LinkedIn or GitHub who have impressive portfolios or unique projects. Use search terms like “Web Developer portfolio” or “Software Engineer GitHub.”
   • Identify one or two women whose projects inspire you and note how they applied their interests to tech.
   • Follow their work and see if they offer advice or resources for building a strong portfolio.