It’s a philosophy she says is summed up not simply in the acronym STEM – education in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics – but rather, STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. To her, programming is not just a technical discipline — it’s an extension of the personality. “My big view of programming education is it shouldn’t be limited to operating software. Human elements should also permeate the coldness of program design, and serious programs must also release some warmth and light,” she says. “Even if they aren’t able to make perfect programs, they can show off their individual unique character.” Such an approach is not only inclusive, she says, noting that it makes coding more accessible to girls, but also necessary. In the long run, building an AI-ready workforce in China will require reaching a broader swathe of society, and working to combat algorithmic bias — that is, biased views concealed in code, that can have far-reaching impacts as AI is used to make more financial and legal decisions. Above all, the goal in her classes is not to make technology seem difficult and inaccessible, Xu says, but to “have fun, and make every programming student in my class feel happy.”

Discover our free resources to empower all young people through computer science education and digital skills by visiting http://microsoft.com/digitalskills To read more about Microsoft Philanthropies’ work to build future ready generations in Asia, click here.

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