Written by volunteer writer Alison Perch

Exploring the possibilities of technology requires some foundational knowledge. Through TechGirlz’ Web Concepts TechShop, girls learn the basics of how websites work, how they are built, and how to become a web developer.

Radhika, a TechGirlz teen volunteer, helped assist this virtual workshop on October 17th. Since it was her first time TAing for this TechShop, she made sure to research all the topics mentioned in the course materials.

“We went over the parts of a website, the front end and back end of websites, the different languages that can be used to create websites, and things that make websites successful,” she explains.

Radhika’s favorite part of the workshop was highlighting the creative aspects of building websites. She explained that web development skills can be applied in many fields. Radhika’s students also discussed popular websites in relation to the concepts being taught.

“They asked questions about the back end of YouTube and Netflix, which helped to put into perspective how much we do not think about thought that goes into creating websites,” Radhika notes.

Though Radhika was new to TechGirlz’s web concepts curriculum, she has experience with web development and programming. She first learned about coding in middle school and recently took a course on MATLAB. Radhika enjoys being creative with tech, noting that she built her own websites for fun in a blog-style format.

“Overall, I think technology and coding are very powerful tools that can be used in a plethora of ways to make the world a better place,” Radhika says.

For anyone looking to teach Web Concepts, Radhika recommends taking the time to explain each topic thoroughly, as some can be confusing to novices. She also wishes she spent more time discussing the back end of websites.

Web Concepts is an ideal option for beginner instructors, as no technical materials are required. It’s also perfect for students who are new to tech and want to get their feet wet before learning to code.

“This workshop was a great way to expose the girls to websites! I saw that this workshop sparked their interest to create websites of their own, which was great to see,” Radhika explains.