Time Warner (News - Alert) Cable recently announced the launch of its technology curriculum, Cracking the Codes in the Digital World, for middle school students. 

The curriculum, which is designed for after-school programs, is based on national science standards and highlights the science, technology, engineering and math behind cable television. Time Warner Cable employees will service as mentors and role models.

The curriculum was developed with Invent Now, Inc., which creates programs to encourage nearly 100,000 children, teachers, parents, college students and inventors each year to explore science, technology and their own inventiveness.

Cracking the Codes in the Digital World launched during the company’s Connect a Million Minds Week, March 22. 

“At Time Warner Cable, we use science and math every day to deliver video, voice and high speed data services to 14.4 million customers across 28 states,” said Ellen East, Time Warner Cable’s executive vice president and chief communications officer. “This hands-on, discovery-based program for middle school students takes them out of the classroom and into our operations where our employees use STEM skills every day to do their jobs.”

As part of the program students will visit Time Warner Cable facilities in California, New York, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Idaho, Maine, Arizona and Wisconsin to learn about energy conversion, learn and experience geosynchronous orbit and discover the math and science behind delivering digital content.

“This brings our Connect a Million Minds initiative in-house, to engage our employees as role models and mentors,” said Bonnie Hathaway, vice president of public affairs for Time Warner Cable.  “We believe that by connecting the technology that underlies our business to STEM standards in a fun and interesting way, it can be the spark that encourages students to pursue STEM-related education and careers.”

Students will take part in hands-on experiments that show how a digital signal is created and transmitted, and the ways that people receive and request information and entertainment throughout the Time Warner Cable system.  Time Warner Cable employees will be reaching out to various schools and youth organizations with invitations to Crack the Codes on an ongoing basis. 

“The Cracking the Codes in a Digital World experience will challenge participants to investigate the science behind Time Warner Cable technology. Participants will launch mock television signals while orbiting the Earth as a satellite, create pixilated art to better understand how high definition programming is created, and demystify how television programming is delivered to their home,” said Alaina Rutledge, core curriculum and programs extension manager, Invent Now, Inc. “ Time Warner Cable will augment the experience by providing inquiry-based STEM activities, reinforce learning through application, give participants a real world perspective of STEM and encourage the next generation of scientists and technologists.”

Time Warner Cable is developing “Cracking the Codes in the High Speed World” and “Cracking the Codes in the Wireless World” for later in the year.

According to Alaina Rutledge, Core Curriculum and Programs Extension Manager, Invent Now, Inc., “The Cracking the Codes in a Digital World experience will challenge participants to investigate the science behind Time Warner Cable technology. Participants will launch mock television signals while orbiting the Earth as a satellite, create pixilated art to better understand how high definition programming is created, and demystify how television programming is delivered to their home. Time Warner Cable will augment the experience by providing inquiry-based STEM activities, reinforce learning through application, give participants a real world perspective of STEM and encourage the next generation of scientists and technologists.”