{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Chalk and Code","title":"Reimagining Coding Through Art: Dr. Victor Winter on Bricklayer and the Future of Computer Science Education","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":4515,"description":"In this episode of Chalk and Code, host Theron Davis sits down with Dr. Victor Winter, professor of computer science at the University of Nebraska Omaha and founder of BrickLayer. Bricklayer is a nonprofit educational platform that teaches coding, math, and computational thinking through art—using virtual bricks inspired by LEGO and Minecraft.\n\nFrom his early work at Sandia National Laboratories to building an education platform that blends creativity with computational rigor, Victor shares how his journey has been driven by a single question: How can we make programming more human, engaging, and fun? He unpacks how visual learning builds durable skills, why mistakes should be embraced as part of the process, and how AI will amplify—not replace—human creativity in the classroom.\n\nIf you’ve ever wondered how coding can become a medium for expression rather than just a technical skill, this conversation is a must-listen.\n\nKey Moments\n\n\n02:15 From National Labs to Academia\n\n06:40 Why Traditional Coding Languages Don’t Align with Human Thinking\n\n10:18 The Birth of Bricklayer: Coding as Art\n\n15:25 Visual Learning as a Pathway into STEM\n\n20:42 Students Doing “10x the Work” When Given Creative Freedom\n\n26:30 Reducing Teacher Fear with Block-Based Programming\n\n30:55 Why Motivation, Not Information, Is the Real Bottleneck in Education\n\n37:12 How Public School Standards Slow Innovation\n\n44:20 Reframing Mistakes as Learning Opportunities\n\n51:05 Generative AI as the “Magic Wand” for Human Creativity\n\n57:48 Preparing the Next Generation for an AI-Driven Future\n\nWhy You’ll Love This Episode\n\n\nThis episode challenges assumptions about what computer science education should look like.\n\nYou’ll hear how Dr. Victor Winter transforms coding into a creative medium that motivates students, develops spatial reasoning, and builds the confidence to learn from mistakes. Whether you’re an educator, parent, or technologist, his approach shows how art can be the gateway to STEM—and why...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/3axgf2SSmiMFxyolDWwFFSNcakWI6mxP4Mv3QdmXP4A/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS80Zjhk/Y2I1ODg2MjlhZTQx/OWYyM2Q2NzFlYjBl/ZGE1ZS5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}