STEM

GitHub Education Launches New Online Community

• By Leila Meyer
• 08/18/16

GitHub, a popular web-based repository of software source code and other computer files, has launched a new community forum for teachers and students who use GitHub in the classroom.

According to the company, computer science teachers "are increasingly using the platform in the classroom in an effort to prepare students for the workforce." GitHub Education is intended to provide those teachers with an online community where they can share their ideas for using GitHub academically, including lesson plans and best practices, and where they can suggest improvements to the company's education tools.

More than 1,000 people from around the world have already joined the GitHub Education Community to discuss topics such as using GitHub to distribute class materials, favorite resources for teaching programming and even more nitty-gritty technical topics such as configuring GitHub OAuth permissions.

Teachers and students can also use GitHub Education to access the company's other education tools, including GitHub Classroom and the Student Developer Pack, as well as information about upcoming events and stories about ways some educational institutions are using GitHub in the classroom.

GitHub Classroom is designed to make it easier for teachers to distribute starter code and collect assignments on GitHub, according to information on the company's site. The application automates the repository creation and access control process for teachers. The Student Developer Pack is a collection of free software development tools for students, including Microsoft Azure, Unreal Engine and numerous others. Students must be at least 13 years old and provide proof of enrollment to qualify for the free student pack.

For more information about the GitHub Education Community and to create a free account, see the GitHub Education Community site.