Key points:

• K-12 computer science is a lifelong skill for all students
• North Dakota to require computer science for all K-12 students
• How robots and our school’s buddy program bring computer science to life
• For more news on computer science education, visit eSN’s STEM hub

K-12 computer science is essential, not just for students who may pursue computer science or STEM fields in college or the workforce. Computer science principles give students critical computational thinking skills that will serve them in any career field or professional endeavor.

Let’s take a look at K-12 computer science trends and where computer science education is heading across the country:

Who is a computer science educator?

The short answer: Anyone can be a computer science educator! Well-intended computer science initiatives are often met with reluctance and resistance before they even get off the ground. Teachers may see the new initiative as “just another thing” on their plate or may feel ill-prepared to tackle an entirely new discipline. To ensure a smooth transition to teaching computer science, campus and district leaders will need to empower teachers with ownership of the change, versus simply asking them to comply with it. Here are a few tips to ensure that your teachers are provided with space, support, and resources that will help them confidently assume ownership over the implementation of computer science initiatives.

Is there a demand for computer science teachers?

Computer science is a rapidly advancing field; educators have to make those changes if they are going to prepare their students for the modern world. Trying to teach a subject that’s ever-changing might feel a little intimidating to some teachers, especially if they don’t have a background in the field. Fortunately, the skills students learn in a K-12 computer science framework are evergreen, and many of the changes within the field are manageable for the educators involved. Here are three keys to preparing to teach this dynamic subject without feeling like the ground is constantly shifting under your feet.

Why computer science in K-12?

Computer science is so much more than just coding, from the basics to advanced computer science concepts. It builds foundational and transferable skills, such as logistical deduction, critical and computational thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving. Most importantly, computer science is not just for older or future students to learn; it’s critical for all students to learn right now as technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. When this educator set out to transform how her district taught computer science, teachers decided to start with the youngest learners. By starting with kindergarteners, teachers hoped to build basic building blocks and confidence that would carry them through their learning journey. Learn how bringing computer science to young learners can equip students with the skills and confidence from an early age to be curious in their STEAM learning and pursue more in-depth computer science learning along the way.

What are computer science practices?

Computer science practices offer simple opportunities to differentiate instruction–edtech can make these concepts even more accessible to students. Computer science is more important than ever. In the age of artificial intelligence, the study of computers and computational systems—including their theory, design, development, and application–represents a new frontier in science. New fields in computer science seem to emerge each day and now include computer systems and networks, security, database systems, human computer interaction, vision and graphics, numerical analysis, programming languages, software engineering, bioinformatics, and theory of computing. Here are some of those topics and the edtech tools I use to make these concepts even more accessible to students.

What are the essential components of computer science?

In analyzing computer science core concepts and to shift the culture in computer science classrooms, educators not only need to emphasize the value of the subject, but also need to show how computer science can be a “tool for solving problems and issues in your own community and for social justice.” That also requires educators to think more “holistically” about computer science and embed it across disciplines, she said. Teacher training has remained a roadblock. While the CS4All initiative aims to reach 5,000 teachers through a two-week summer professional development session, more substantive courses have been sparse. Here’s how teachers can address equity issues in K-12 computer science.

Key points:

• Keep students at the center of any new computer science initiative
• How to integrate a computer science curriculum into K-5 classrooms
• 4 resources to differentiate computer science instruction
• For more news on computer science, visit eSN’s STEM & STEAM page

With 24,000 students, Springfield Public Schools is usually among the three largest school districts in Massachusetts. Our students are spread across 31 elementary schools and a total of 70 schools. It’s no exaggeration to say that computational thinking plays a part in all of them. Fortunately, the district earned a grant that allowed us to offer computer science at every grade level, starting as early as pre-K. Because many of our teachers had no background in computer science, though, this large-scale implementation was no easy task.

Meeting standards and managing devices

One of our first challenges was that Massachusetts has specific digital literacy and computer science standards that are a bit different than the national CSTA standards used by many other states. Our department combines digital literacy and computer science, so we have four different strands that encompass digital citizenship and computational thinking concepts.

Springfield Public Schools is fortunate enough to be a 1:1 district that provides Microsoft student laptops for everyone, giving all students access to Office 365. Managing devices for thousands of students requires a substantial time commitment. As a result, computer science teachers need to spend two-thirds of their time teaching and one-third managing the different devices students use.

Hiring new computer science teachers

With so many students to consider, the district decided to hire or reassign one teacher into a computer science teacher role at each school. Educators didn’t need to earn an additional license to teach computer science at the time (a Digital Literacy and Computer Science license for Massachusetts came out in the fall of 2023), so candidates were only required to be licensed teachers. Our candidate pool was a mixture of completely new hires and teachers transitioning from other subjects, many of whom had no computer science background. This meant that the district needed a curriculum that would be robust enough to support all of these teachers, no matter their level of computer science knowledge or experience.

Building the right computer science curriculum

The decision to hire computer science teachers for every building was part of a larger “CSforAll Springfield” initiative. Partnering with Sage Fox Consulting and UMass Amherst, we brought together a team of teachers to curate a curriculum that embedded computational thinking standards into lessons that were already being taught. For example, a kindergarten lesson on algorithms is integrated into “how to” procedures for a fire drill.

We had a scope and sequence that met our standards, as well as suggestions for different activities and lesson plans, but we needed something that worked for each grade level individually without taking a one-size-fits-all approach.

We chose the curriculum from Ellipsis Education for a few key reasons. The curriculum clearly lays out each lesson in a way that allows teachers to follow it like a script. Ellipsis teaches specific tech skills, such as using the Scratch programming platform, that align well with the skills that are at the core of our computer science standards. The program also provides ongoing professional development support for teachers.

As with any new initiative, professional development (PD) has been key. Recently, for example, we went beyond the usual Zoom PD to offer an all-day, in-person session that gave teachers without a background in computer science more detailed information about computer science pedagogy, as well as a chance to collaborate with their more experienced peers.

Sharing ideas

To provide teachers with the most updated information they need to take advantage of all the available resources—and to show district stakeholders how our computer science initiative is going—we use a number of different communication tools.

With 30 elementary buildings and six secondary buildings that I oversee, linking teachers across the district can be a struggle. Teachers and other staff members use various platforms to share resources, including Microsoft Teams, Schoology, and a dedicated channel for tech duties. Teachers use these channels to bounce ideas off each other, share celebrations, and receive announcements. Overall, our teachers have been delighted with the results and are proud to showcase the great work they and their students are doing.

Advice for other districts

It has been a challenge getting everything in place, but I wouldn’t do anything differently. By taking the time to listen to teachers and learn what they need, we’ve been able to set the right resources in place that align with our curriculum and put us on a path to reach our high-level goals.

If I could narrow down the best advice I can offer to other districts, it would be to start slow, leverage your resources, find partners, and gain administrative buy-in any way you can. We want the next generation to have a comprehensive understanding of everything that’s involved in computer sciences. To achieve this, it’s crucial to take the initiative and keep students at the center of any new computer science initiative.

Key points:

• Although a majority of teachers believe computer science education is critical, the subject isn’t required–or even offered–nationwide
• Introducing computer science at an early age equips students with the skills and confidence to be curious in STEAM learning
• See related article: 4 resources to differentiate computer science instruction

“I love it so much I would do it every day if we could!” These words are music to any teacher’s ears and I’m lucky enough to hear this sentiment from my students often. Since introducing a new computer science curriculum in 2019, my students at Redlands Unified School District have consistently shown engagement, genuine enthusiasm, and joy in learning.

Defining the importance of early computer science learning

Did you know that by 2030 more than half of the world’s children and young people won’t have the skills or qualifications to participate in the emerging global workforce? Educators like me often don’t have access to the right solutions or resources to prepare students for the future. For example, only 30 percent of K-8 schools offer computer science education even though 71 percent of U.S. teachers believe computer science is “just as important as required courses like math, science, history, and English,” according to the 2021 State of Computer Science Education report.

Computer science is so much more than just coding. It builds foundational and transferable skills, such as logistical deduction, critical and computational thinking, reasoning, and problem-solving. Most importantly, computer science is not just for older or future students to learn; it’s critical for all students to learn right now as technology continues to advance at a rapid pace. 

When we set out to transform how we taught computer science, we decided to start with our youngest learners. By starting with kindergarteners, we hoped to build basic building blocks and confidence that would carry them through their learning journey. What I love about bringing computer science to young learners is that we can equip students with the skills and confidence from an early age to be curious in their STEAM learning and pursue more in-depth computer science learning along the way.

A scalable approach

With 70 percent of our students coming from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, we knew that to have real impact in our district, we needed to ensure all students had access to robotics, coding, and programming learning opportunities. That’s when we discovered LEGO Education and the LEGO®Learning System, which is comprehensive across grade levels, offers standards-aligned curriculum and is familiar and approachable for students and teachers regardless of their previous experience with computer science.

Redlands has more than 20,000 students but no formal computer science curriculum in place for K-5 students. As a STEAM learning solution that progresses as students move up in grade levels, the LEGO Learning System would enable our students to build their skills over time while creating an easy entry-point for students and teachers due to the familiarity of LEGO bricks. For students, the playful, hands-on nature of the system keeps them engaged and curious. For teachers, the standards-aligned lessons help to meet district-wide mandates that allow us to utilize the kits in all our classrooms!

Our teachers wondered how to bring this to life in a realistic way. The LEGO Learning System professional development materials helped them visualize how to seamlessly integrate this solution into classrooms while building confidence in their own abilities to teach STEAM and computer science.

The impact of LEGO Education solutions

As an educator for more than 10 years, I’ve seen firsthand how beneficial this approach can be to closing the achievements gaps and providing more equitable access to computer science curriculum in our district. One of our teachers shared with me that “we have seen students who may not necessarily thrive in a traditional classroom setting thriving with these hands-on experiences.”  

Since integrating these solutions into our computer science curriculum, more than 100 teachers are now using them in their classrooms and 3,000+ students in grades K-5 are learning computer science and engineering design concepts. And with scalable kits that are built with high-quality materials, we can continue offering this engaging and hands-on experience to our students for years to come.

Based on our experience incorporating computer science into our classrooms, here are three tips for other educators to achieve similar success.

3 tips to integrate computer science into your school

1. Hands-on learning is key to engaging students in computer science. Ninety-nine percent of educators agree that hands-on learning increases students’ confidence. Incorporate activities that include familiar elements, like LEGO bricks, which can level the playing field and provide a playful, interactive way for students to engage with STEAM concepts. Hands-on, playful learning has also been found to increase problem-solving and critical thinking skills that are necessary for subjects like computer science.

2. Professional development is an integral component of teacher success in the classroom. Research shows that elementary teachers lack confidence in teaching STEM. It’s important to provide educators with the resources, tools, and training needed to build their own confidence in STEAM education. When educators are set up for success, they can experience the same joy and excitement about learning as their students.

3. Introduce early learners to computer science to set them up for lifelong learning. By incorporating computer science into curriculums early on, students can develop the 21^st century skills needed to be confident in their learning as they progress through grade levels. These skills will equip students with the critical thinking necessary for future industries and growing technologies such as AI. By thinking of computer science as something young learners can begin to engage in now, rather than waiting for high school coding classes, we can better prepare students for a rapidly evolving world.

What can you do?

These are just some of the ways we’ve been able to successfully bring computer science into our curriculum at Redlands. Through continued investment in our teachers and districtwide adoption of the LEGO Learning System, we can’t wait to see how computer science continues to elevate our students’ learning experience and empower our teachers to prepare students for the future.

What are some ways you have introduced computer science to your classroom(s)?

Related:
3 ways teachers can navigate the evolving field of computer science
North Dakota to require computer science for all K-12 students

As recently as a decade or two ago, technology education consisted of typing, learning to draft emails, or doing a little work in a spreadsheet. Learning those skills may have been relegated to a business information class or weekly trips to a computer lab. Today, most students are expected to learn to code, and most states have coding requirements—some starting as early as kindergarten.

That’s a significant change in less than a generation. Computer science is a rapidly advancing field; educators have to make those changes if they are going to prepare their students for the modern world. Trying to teach a subject that’s ever-changing might feel a little intimidating to some teachers, especially if they don’t have a background in the field. Fortunately, the skills students learn in computer science are evergreen, and many of the changes within the field are manageable for the educators involved.

Here are three keys to preparing to teach this dynamic subject without feeling like the ground is constantly shifting under your feet.

Don’t be intimidated by “new” technology. It’s probably a lot like the old technology.

As our knowledge grows, technology advances, practices change, and programming languages fall out of favor in different industries. At any given time, different languages are in use for different purposes. Some industries rely heavily on Python, while others might program in JavaScript. As technology changes and grows, new needs emerge and new programming languages are developed or adopted to meet those needs.

In reality, programming languages tend to have a lot in common with one another. It becomes easier and easier to learn new languages as you go. You might go about things in a slightly different way from one language to the next, but the overall approach you will take to any problem will be similar between languages.

More often, changes in computer science are less about the programming languages themselves and more about the special topics within the field. Cryptocurrency was absolutely huge a few years ago and remains important today, but the first cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, didn’t even exist until 2009. Artificial intelligence may be the hottest topic in computer science right now, but a decade or two in the past it would have been a more appropriate topic for a science fiction story than a technology class.

Learning new programming languages and special topics can be challenging, but it doesn’t mean educators need to start at square one every time a new computer concept grabs attention.

Focus on evergreen skills, even as you update curriculum.

Just as programming languages allow computer scientists to approach similar problems in the same way, the underlying approach of computer scientists doesn’t change. Computational thinking remains constant regardless of language or special topic.

More importantly, as students learn the content of programming languages or special topics, they are also practicing skills such as critical thinking, creativity, persistence, and attention to detail, among others. The content may change and require students and teachers to update their knowledge from time to time, but the skills students practice when they learn computer science transcend content and even disciplines.

While computer science is constantly changing, it’s more often a gradual evolution over time with core concepts remaining pretty stable. A teacher who leads a computer science class for three years, for example, will not have to relearn the central principles of the field or even learn entirely new special topics. They’ll be able to build comfort and a deep understanding of the majority of the material they will cover with their students in those three years.

One way teachers can keep up with changes is simply to keep an eye on the standards. Many standards are open-ended, such as the one requiring students to understand how emerging technologies are influencing culture and society. Those lessons can be updated with the most interesting and relevant topics. Twenty years ago, the “worldwide web” might have been an appropriate topic, but now we might want students to understand the implications of natural language processing.

Selecting an agile curriculum that is easily and frequently updated can also help computer science teachers stay on top of changes within the field. Updating a digital curriculum is much easier—and cheaper!—than reprinting a set of textbooks or student workbooks. Look for a provider that keeps an eye on both the standards and the current state of the art within computer science to make frequent changes to remain relevant in both areas.

AI is cool, but accessibility is essential.

In the near future, special topics that are likely to become more prominent include accessibility and artificial intelligence. As computers become more prevalent in society and necessary for navigating the world, they will need to become more accommodating to all kinds of human differences. If we are going to build a world in which people are required to use a computer to go to school or work or to access a bank account, we have to make sure that everyone can use computers regardless of differences in their abilities.

Lessons on accessibility will also likely include some focus on where and how computers connect to the internet. There are many places that still don’t have access to broadband internet, and future generations will need to understand the causes and implications of that digital divide if they are going to address it.

Artificial intelligence is generally handled as a special topic in high school and sprinkled in throughout the curriculum right now, but it will likely be introduced to students earlier in the near future. Many people don’t understand Chat GPT, but it has important implications for privacy and security online in the future. How will students know if they are interacting with a human or a chatbot online, and what does it mean if they can’t tell? Educators need to address these challenges in the classroom so future generations feel prepared to navigate the world and address problems in the future.

Computer science is becoming integrated with core topics.

Another change we’re likely to see is in where and how computer science is taught. Rather than a standalone class, computer science may well become integrated with other subjects, such as science and math. Such a shift will likely result in a focus on skills rather than content. Students will be encouraged to use computers and computational thinking to solve science and math problems.

Integrating computer science with core topics would also solve other challenges in computer science education. First, it would answer the question of where to fit this new topic into the school day. It’s difficult to find time in the schedule for a whole new subject, but not if it’s folded into other subjects.

Second, teaching computer science on its own implies that it’s a separate thing that lives on its own. That’s not how it works in the real world, though. Computer science underpins and helps to advance other disciplines.

Integrating computer science into other topics would likely lead to a more project-based approach in which students use computer science or computational thinking to help solve some challenge in math or science. It ties it all together into a nice package and is also more representative of how computer science is used in the real world.

If you were going to plant a garden, you wouldn’t try to tease apart the math knowledge from the science knowledge required, thinking about how much soil you’ll need to fill your garden bed and how many seeds you can plant given the space requirements of each species and then figuring out what kind of fertilizer you need and which plants are good compliments to one another. You’d think of it all in aggregate, seamlessly moving between math and science. Computer science could easily be baked into a STEM project in the same way.

Schools may not have the resources to bring computer science experts on staff or to purchase cutting-edge supercomputers, but teachers who enjoy learning alongside their students will find it an exciting subject that helps young people understand the world they live in and prepare to shape the one to come. All they really need is a willingness to embrace these new frontiers together.

Related:
4 resources to differentiate computer science instruction
North Dakota to require computer science for all K-12 students

Differentiating instruction is not a new approach to bridging the varying learning styles of students with different backgrounds and learning abilities. For years, educators have strategized how to differentiate instruction in math, ELA, and science. Countless articles and books offer best practices for differentiation in those subjects, but comparatively, very little has been written about differentiating computer science instruction. 

I believe computer science is more important than ever. In the age of artificial intelligence, the study of computers and computational systems—including their theory, design, development, and application–represents a new frontier in science. 

New fields in computer science seem to emerge each day and now include computer systems and networks, security, database systems, human computer interaction, vision and graphics, numerical analysis, programming languages, software engineering, bioinformatics, and theory of computing.

But how does a computer science teacher differentiate instruction in this increasingly important topic?  At the Florida high school where I teach, we offer a rigorous computer science program that offers three courses: Exploring Computer Science, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A. 

Over the years, I’ve found that some topics within computer science offer simple opportunities to differentiate instruction.  Here are some of those topics and the edtech tools I use to make these concepts even more accessible to students:

• Every computer scientist needs to master the nature of science and possess a complete understanding of the scientific method.  Discovery Education’s Science Techbook is the perfect tool for teaching these critical concepts. Aligned to Florida’s academic standards and full of engaging digital resources, the Science Techbook takes what can be very dry topics and makes them all both very exciting and accessible through a variety of multi-modal avenues.
• NASA Connects is a forum moderated by NASA’s educational team. Membership is free for educational professionals and homeschoolers. This amazing website contains a plethora of tools that can easily be included in classroom instruction. The resource library contains discussions, articles, lesson plans that are standards-aligned, and professional opportunities for educators. I use this section to supplement many of my lessons.  The fact that the NASA Connects resources also come in a variety of asset types is super helpful for differentiation.
• Code.org provides educators with a pacing guide used to pace instruction. This educational resource has many useful tools, but one of my favorite tools to use is the sample programs feature. This feature provides step-by-step instructions on how to create anything from interactive digital cards to websites and more.  More importantly, Code.org offers a number of students the opportunity for hands-on learning, which supports my kinesthetic learners. I also like that I can see the work that my students have completed. This feature helps me check for understanding and helps me know what I need to review with them.
• Learning to code involves mathematical knowledge. VEX Robotics is a skills-based competition for elementary through college level students. The challenges change from year to year. The robotics team creates an engineering notebook that is part of the judging process. The notebook includes gear ratio calculations as well as coding triumphs and pitfalls. Students learn mathematical language by creating complex programs for their robots. Finally, they build and program their robots to perform specific competition tasks.  Together, the VEX Robotics competition offers numerous ways for students to approach learning in a ways that suit their personal learning preference.                 

Differentiated instruction has many benefits for students. It increases motivation, engagement, and achievement. Students feel they are a part of the classroom and not as if they have fallen behind and need to catch up to their fellow classmates. They feel valued and that they can and will become better at what they are learning.  This is true across computer science and every other academic discipline.

Computer science is still a relatively young discipline, especially in relation to its peers.  Today’s educators are in many ways still pioneering the field of computer science instruction.  It is up to us to make computer science as accessible to as many students as possible.  In talking with my peers across Florida and around the country, I feel that not only do we have the edtech tools to do so, but we have the will as well!

Related:
What is computer science education lacking?
How robots and our school’s buddy program bring computer science to life

North Dakota has become the first state to require computer science and cybersecurity education for all K-12 students.

Gov. Doug Burgum and North Dakota School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler celebrated the governor’s signing of HB1398, which requires the teaching of computer science and cybersecurity and the integration of these content standards into school coursework from kindergarten through 12th grade. Baesler said North Dakota is the first state in the nation to approve legislation requiring cybersecurity education.

“Today is the culmination of years of work by stakeholders from all sectors to recognize and promote the importance of cybersecurity and computer science education in our elementary, middle and high schools,” Baesler said at the bill’s signing ceremony on March 24.

“Our vision is to integrate and underscore the importance of computer science and cybersecurity instruction into the classes our students take as they move through our K-12 system,” Baesler said. “Under this bill, the information and knowledge our students need will be part of every grade level, which is appropriate when you consider the role that technology plays in our everyday lives.”

EduTech, a division of North Dakota Information Technology that provides information technology support and professional development for K-12 educators, will develop examples of cybersecurity and computer science education integration plans that may be used to assist local schools develop their own plans.

Burgum said HB1398 was in keeping with his administration’s emphasis on developing student and citizen knowledge of computer science and cybersecurity, which he described as “one of the most pressing issues that we have in North Dakota.” The administration’s PK-20W initiative, with its vision of “Every Student, Every School, Cyber Educated,” aims to ensure students have the skills and know-how to succeed in a technology-driven economy.

“Our students have more access than ever to computers and technology devices in our schools. It’s crucial that our students also learn cyber safety skills,” Burgum said. “The ability to manage technology is also important in helping our North Dakota students to get good jobs. Employers look for students who have the skills to take on tech challenges and cyberattacks, and complete daily tasks using technology devices.”

Burgum has encouraged North Dakota’s young people to pursue careers in computer science, cybersecurity and technology, including the promotion of Cyber Madness school tournaments and Girls Go Cyberstart competitions in North Dakota’s schools.

Last year, the governor announced that any North Dakota resident may take online classes in cybersecurity, networking, programming, and other subjects to bolster their knowledge, improve their job skills, and explore whether they want to pursue a technology career. “North Dakota Citizens Skills for All” is offered by the Cisco Networking Academy through EduTech.

Baesler said HB1398 was the capstone of work that began in 2015, when the Department of Public Instruction formed a working group of legislators and other stakeholders to craft a vision for K-12 education’s computer science and cybersecurity instructional needs.

Since then, in collaboration with other state agencies, business and industry experts, families, teachers and administrators, the NDDPI has led the development of K-12 computer science and cybersecurity academic content standards, and cybersecurity and computer science credentials for educators to add to their teaching licenses.

HB1398 grew directly from the November 2021 special legislative session, when lawmakers directed Baesler to “collaborate with workforce development stakeholders and the K-12 Education Coordination Council to determine how best to integrate computer science and cybersecurity into elementary, middle, and high school.”

Baesler and Burgum thanked the bill’s primary sponsor, House Majority Leader Mike Lefor of Dickinson, and its other sponsors: Rep. Glenn Bosch, R-Bismarck, the House assistant majority leader; Rep. Cynthia Schreiber-Beck, R-Wahpeton, the vice chairwoman of the House Education Committee; Rep. Anna Novak, R-Hazen; and Rep. Emily O’Brien, R-Grand Forks, as well as Republican Senate sponsors Dean Rummel of Dickinson, David Rust of Tioga and Shawn Vedaa of Velva.

“It was the leadership of this group of sponsors that helped HB1398 get the overwhelming support it had in the House and Senate,” Baesler said.

HB1398 was approved 81-11 in the House on Feb. 16, and 44-1 in the Senate March 16.

“This is a significant move by Governor Doug Burgum, not more feel-good window dressing, as it mandates student instruction in ‘computer science, including cybersecurity,’ at the same level as mandates for reading, writing, history, and arithmetic,” said Jack Danahy, VP of strategy and innovation at NuHarbor Security. “It’s a meaningful addition to the national discussion on cybersecurity because it acknowledges the central role that computing plays in today’s economy and society. None of those other traditional subjects can even be taught in the present age without secure, reliable, systems.”

Danahy continued:

The most meaningful gap in most people’s cybersecurity knowledge is one of language and concepts. If I were to define either of those curricula, I’d start with presenting the language of cybersecurity. What actually is a data breach? What conditions create opportunities for successful attacks, and what are the differences between the well-known attack types? Why are unique passwords or MFA a requirement in today’s environment, and what happens when someone’s credentials get stolen?

This style of education, informing about the nature of cybersecurity exposures and the appropriate means of closing them, is far more valuable than the usual discussions of the newest or most damaging attacks. As an example, everyone understands that ransomware is a problem, but few people would be able to describe the reasons why ransomware is so disruptive, and can the “same” type of attack both destroy data and publicly release it.

Cybersecurity education tends to veer almost instantly to technology, whether for attacks or defense. To make a real difference, state and local leaders should approach these introductory efforts to create a common language and understanding about cyber threats and the potential mitigations. These leaders, and members of their own staff, know many of the topics. Their service providers can enrich those topics with broader experience and the types of real-world examples that keep classes exciting and interesting.

This story contains material from a press release.

Related:
How robots and our school’s buddy program bring computer science to life
Computer science classes have an equity issue

The evolving needs of the IT workforce are constantly discussed–even people who are far from it understand the constantly growing needs for computer science. And yet, U.S. high schools don’t consistently offer computer science education and IT classes.

Current situation

According to CSTA reports, a little over half (53 percent) of U.S. high schools offer a single computer science course–a fundamental subject critical to the nation’s economic and security health. Modest yet significant growth is being observed–in 2018 this index was 35 percent.

Some schools’ computer science education programs are shrinking due to budget issues. School administrators do not see computer science education as a necessary skill for teaching students. Minnesota (only 43.5 percent) and Louisiana (45.8 percent) have the fewest number of students who attend schools that offer foundational computer science courses.

CSTA research also found significant differences in access to computer science education across different social groups. For example, rural and urban schools, such as schools with a large proportion of economically disadvantaged students, are less likely to offer computer science. There is also a trend related to ethnicity: Black/African American students, Hispanic/Hispanic/Hispanic/Latino students, and Native American and Alaska students were less likely to attend a school that offered it.

What’s missing in American high schools for the development of computer science education at this level?

Lack of curriculum resources 

Since there is not always a clear answer to the question of what graduates should know after completing a computer science course, finding resources can be very difficult. Often this choice falls on the teachers themselves.

Currently, only 14 states have adopted the ACM and CSTA standards for high school computer science, and only 10 allow them to be credited for graduation. Only 1 out of every 10 schools teaches programming, and in most schools computer science is not a required part of curriculum.

However, 65 percent of teachers believed that existing CS curricular resources met the needs of a diverse student body.

Lack of hardware/software resources

Thirty-five percent of teachers said they didn’t have the materials, supplies, equipment and space needed to teach computer science. There is no single program; no resource requirements. In general, to program in Python or Java, a computer is enough–sometimes internet access would not hurt. However, it will be much more convenient for students to learn programming with the help of specialized software, in convenient integrated development environments, with online materials, and so on. Finding all this in schools can be challenging.

Lack of appropriate assessments

How to assess student knowledge? Because there are no uniform requirements, it is very difficult to adequately evaluate students. If there is an enthusiastic teacher who has developed a program on their own, they usually have a few followers who are very interested in it. For example, in one school in Illinois, a teacher developed an elective program in robot programming. As a result, two students created a controlled robot, while the rest limited themselves to typical tasks. Of course, it is difficult to evaluate them equally.

Lack of teacher subject knowledge and lack of (funded) teacher training 

About three-quarters of teachers said they took at least one computer course during their undergraduate studies. Well, only 30 percent of high school teachers have a degree in computer and engineering sciences, and 6 percent have an additional education in computer science. Even more, the IT industry is constantly evolving, and sometimes the knowledge that college instructors receive simply loses relevance.

Many teachers report being encouraged to start learning Python programming. “The problem is, I’ve never learned Python,” said one respondent. “I know Java, C and C# after getting my CS degree. It’s not a problem, but it takes some time to learn it with your students.” In some schools, there is a request for a course, but there is no corresponding teacher. In this case, the computer science can be led, for example, by a math teacher or even a volleyball team coach who takes the time to learn.

Underpay of teachers 

Unlike core subjects where teachers can rely on proven didactic materials, computer science education requires the maximum involvement of teachers in the development of such materials, programs, and grading systems. The teacher does a lot of work, most often on a voluntary basis. Additional funding for such initiatives is usually not provided.

Students’ lack of subject knowledge, lack of knowledge in other subjects

Computer science education programs are often inconsistent with other subjects. This usually requires at least a minimal understanding of mathematics, but it can also be very difficult to agree on what a “minimal understanding of mathematics” is. In some schools, high school students struggle even with fractions operations. The most common problem is the lack of habit of simple algorithmic reasoning.

Lack of student interest/enrollment

Despite the popularity of the IT field, not every student wants to study it in school. In Massachusetts, 84.7 percent of high school students attend a school offering fundamental computer science, but only 5.8 percent of students are enrolled in a computer science course. Louisiana not only has one of the lowest levels of computer science education availability in schools, but also very low demand, with only 1.8 percent of students attending a computer science course.

The reasons may be different. Many high school kids are confident in the excessive complexity of this subject, and believe that they do not need extra tasks. In some schools the subject is optional and students don’t want to spend time on it.

Crowded classes

There are schools where interest in computer science education is very high, but there is only one teacher or there arenot enough resources. In this case, the teacher may not be able to qualitatively check all the work of students and give feedback to everyone. In such a situation, modern materials with tests and automatic verification of the correctness of typical solutions could help.

Scheduling constraints 

Computer science is losing students due to scheduling conflicts when only one class section is often offered–those class sections often conflict with the classes students need to get into college.

Lack of academic priority (vs core subjects)

There is a lack of unified curriculum, resources, and standards in computer science education. This means there are changes happening, but in pockets and unknown to others.  Some schools’ computer science education programs are getting cut because of budget issues. School administrators don’t view computer science as a necessary skill for students to be learning. In addition, Computer science is often confused with other technology fields.

…and other problems 

Problems in computer science education can be considered a litmus test of the problems of high school education in general. If we imagine a fantastic situation in which a person from 1790 is shown a computer, he will not guess what it is. But if you show him even the most modern classroom, then most likely he will easily recognize it as a school. This is to say that the biggest problem in IT training is the combination of the inertia of the training system and the very rapid development of the IT field.

Nevertheless, IT is such an influential industry that it is no longer possible to ignore it, and we hope that obstacles to expanding computer science education will be solved.

Related:
Computer science classes have an equity issue
How computer science education bridges the digital divide

Coding and robots are both natural tools for encouraging collaboration in the classroom. At Sewickley Academy, we have taken that collaboration to the next level by having Grade 5 students step into mentoring roles for our kindergarteners who are just being introduced to computer science. Here’s how we did it.

From Reading to Robotics

Recently, our PreK through Grade 12 independent school has been working to include more computer science opportunities across all grade levels. These classes are a distinguishing factor of a Sewickley Academy education.

When students, especially our youngest learners, work with robotics, they are learning coding skills through what they see as fun play. With the excitement of bringing these little robots to life, they often don’t realize that they are learning foundational concepts and skills that future STEM learning will build upon.

We started with one KIBO, which is a modular robot designed to be used in education. KIBOs can be programmed visually using wooden coding blocks printed with various movement and behavior commands. They are great for students who are still learning to read and are a fun and easy way to bring robotics and coding into the classroom with our youngest learners.

Grade 5 and kindergarten homeroom teachers had already been working together to pair the older students with younger learners to read to them. Both groups of students were thoroughly enjoying the partnership and it seemed natural to progress from reading to robotics. The kindergarten teachers asked the Grade 5 students to first explore the robot, then help their younger buddies participate in the experience. We purchased enough KIBO kits to allow 10 teams to code and play together.

Off and Running

Grade 5 just leapt into their leadership positions. We explained to them that, though the robots were designed for little children, the concepts underlying them are the same ones underlying exciting technology like self-driving vehicles. Some of them said, “Oh yeah, my dad works on self-driving cars,” and they all seemed to understand and go right for it. In the classroom, they embraced the opportunity to serve as mentors and take responsibility for their little buddies.

We had a Remake Learning night with a computer science focus last year, and some of the Grade 5 students volunteered to show off the robots. Just as with their kindergarten buddies, Grade 5 encouraged the visitors to experiment with sounds, light, and motion, playing together to accomplish their own objectives. The children and their parents who attended were so excited to join them and discover what they could do.

Our kindergartners also loved the buddy program. Because we have 10 robots, the classes had to take turns. In the beginning, when one group had their first visit while others were still waiting, the kindergarten students were anxious to work with their buddies: “When is my buddy coming?” They were excited about the robots, certainly, but the relationship with an older student was also a very big deal to them. Students learn differently in a peer-to-peer situation: The kindergartners hung on every detail the fifth graders shared, and the Grade 5 students eagerly stepped up to maturely guide their buddies.

Exceeding Expectations

Pairing the kindergartners with Grade 5 mentors not only kept them engaged, but it also encouraged them to push their coding skills farther by tackling bigger problems than they might have otherwise done in an environment of only younger children.

For example, the kindergarten students have small stuffed animals in their classroom that they just love, and they wanted to mount one on the robot’s art platform. Some of the Big Buddies helped them figure out how to attach it, and then they all worked together to program their animal robot vehicle to drive around the classroom.

Other children wanted their robot to leave the room and go outside, which included turning, driving out the door, and navigating down a big step. To help the robot negotiate the step, they made a ramp out of a book, then programmed the robot to roll down the ramp outside. It was actually a fairly complicated journey, based on quite a complex algorithm for young students to undertake.

Looking to the Future

The year this program started, we did not have dedicated time in the Grade 5 schedule for learning how to code and use the robots. Their teachers were extremely generous in finding time for their students to spend with me learning how to work with KIBO.

Both the kindergarten and Grade 5 teachers who participated saw big benefits for their students. These include Grade 5’s pride in positive leadership and the kindergartners’ desire to learn. With PreK through Grade 12 on one campus, our administration encourages work across divisions and disciplines. Computer science instruction with the Big Buddies program is a great example of the effectiveness of this initiative. We are preparing for our first buddies’ visit of  2022-2023 and expect to further enhance the program this year.

For example, Grade 5 is currently learning to code in Scratch. They used this programming language to create an animation about something important to them, such as a sport they love or their favorite animals playing. They will share this work as a way of introducing themselves to their new kindergarten partners when they meet.

Additionally, rather than teaching small groups of kindergarten students a few basic ideas about assembling and using the robots before meeting their buddies, as I did last year,  this year I will give their Big Buddies the responsibility to introduce the robots, including how to put them together and how to make them move.

As educators, it is our job to help students connect with the material we want them to learn. Sometimes the best way to do that is to get out of the way and let them connect with each other first.

Related:
Give teachers ownership to make computer science a success
Computer science classes have an equity issue–some NYC educators are trying to change that

This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.

Computer science teacher Shanua Newton-Rodriguez is hoping to lead by example. 

A woman of color who grew up in the Bronx, she wants to see more students who look like her learning Java, Python, web design, or other coding skills.

But for many students in the nation’s largest school system — particularly girls, Black students, and Latinos — by the time they get to high school, it’s too late. Many get turned off before they make it to the high-level courses Newton-Rodriguez teaches at the Bronx Academy for Software Engineering, or BASE. 

In the various computer science classes she leads this year, the number of girls ranges from just one to four. (Nearly 90% of the students at tech-heavy career technical education school are boys, Newton-Rodriguez said.)

“Some students don’t see themselves as programmers. They won’t take the first steps,” Newton-Rodriguez said. “It’s still taking some time, even for the adults, to validate computer science. It’s still seen as an elective.” 

Despite New York City’s 10-year plan to bring “computer science to all” students by 2025, equity remains a big issue, according to a recent report from New York University’s Research Alliance analyzing the program through the 2020-21 school year. 

Just 17% of schools were meeting the equity goals of reaching girls, Latinos, and Black students under CS4All, as the initiative is called. Schools that made bigger strides in building up computer science courses enrolled lower percentages of Black and Latino students on average, the report said, finding “persistent inequities” in access to computer science within and across schools. (Some schools saw a bit of a backslide in their computer science offerings most likely due to the pandemic stretching schools thin, but overall the city saw improvements toward equity goals, the report noted.)

“It’s not just about getting more seats in more classrooms. It’s also about representation,” said Cheri Fancsali, the report’s author and deputy director of NYU’s Research Alliance. 

To shift the culture in computer science classrooms, Fancsali said, educators not only need to emphasize the value of the subject, but also need to show how computer science can be a “tool for solving problems and issues in your own community and for social justice.” That also requires educators to think more “holistically” about computer science and embed it across disciplines, she said. 

Teacher training has remained a roadblock. While the CS4All initiative aims to reach 5,000 teachers through a two-week summer professional development session, more substantive courses have been sparse.

New York City is trying to address this through a program called “Computer Integrated Teacher Education” to help train more than 1,000 New York City teachers to integrate computing across subjects. The $14 million initiative, announced Monday, is funded through a public/private partnership with the education department, CUNY, Google, Robin Hood, and Gotham Gives, and is believed to be the largest effort of its kind in the nation, city officials said. The funding will cover scholarships for at least 800 teachers enrolling in the program as well as enable CUNY to design new courses. 

“We are focused on an ambitious goal to provide our students with a clear pathway to and preparation for a rewarding career and long-term economic security,” schools Chancellor David Banks said in a statement. 

Teaching culturally responsive computer science

For her part, Newton-Rodriguez — who last year was recognized with the Fund for the City of New York’s prestigious Sloan Award for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics – is doing what she can to get more students from underrepresented groups engaged in computer science. 

She talks about possible career pathways, or even ways to make pocket money, explaining that students in her user experience/user interface design class can make posters for their local pizza shops or religious organizations and charge $500 to $1,000 for their services. She embeds culturally responsive lessons in her classes, talking about “what happens if they are not there” contributing to top companies. For instance, she discusses how in the early days of Tesla, the camera technology used by the self-driving cars were not picking up pedestrians with darker skin tones, she said. 

“It’s trying to convince them why they are needed,” said Newton-Rodriguez, who worked as a graphic designer before becoming a public school teacher 17 years ago. 

She sees the possibilities of cross-discipline collaborations: For instance, a social studies lesson on Harriet Tubman could discuss what she could have done for the underground railroad if she had information technology, and what kind of problems that tech could have brought as well. But when she suggests giving computer science—related professional development to her colleagues, they push back, saying they have other topics to cover in those sessions, she said. And because it’s not a core subject, she can’t get a co-teacher to help her with students with disabilities, making it harder to differentiate and help students whose math skills need help.

She and other educators said that computer science training has to start when children are younger to give students a stronger foundation. Research has found that exposing young children to computational thinking is crucial to building future success in tech fields — and shaping early attitudes toward careers in technology — but a 2020 Center for Urban Future study looking at nonprofits running after-school and in-school programs, however, found relatively few of them focused on grades K–5.

Computer science teachers need peer support

While Newton-Rodriguez has helped her school build up its computer science program, including the Advanced Placement courses in the subject that she teaches, she also found a supportive community of computer science educators through Math For America, a nonprofit focused on connecting the city’s accomplished math and science teachers. Joel Bianchi, a computer science teacher at Energy Tech High School in Queens, said meeting colleagues through Math for America has been “life-giving,” since he had previously felt like he was on “an island” working on the subject matter.

New York State only created a license for computer science education a few years ago, Bianchi said, but there have been few pathways to get it. He’s in one of them, with about 60 other educators: a three-year-old free program through CUNY’s Hunter College for middle and high school teachers with other licenses to get a certificate for the subject.  

Bianchi — another winner of last year’s Sloan Awards for Excellence in Teaching Science and Mathematics — created and taught a new AP Computer Science A course when he moved to Energy Tech in 2019. (AP Computer Science A focuses on Java and coding, while AP Computer Science Principles focuses on broader computing concepts.) The first year he taught the course, Bianchi had 10 girls and 10 boys, and the school received the College Board AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award.

But since the pandemic, the demographics have changed. This year, his course initially enrolled six girls. Three have since dropped it. (His school is also more than 80% male.)

“Almost every year I’ve had issues with really high performing girls feeling overwhelmed. And at the same exact moment, several underperforming boys feel completely confident,” Bianchi said. “I struggle with it … What are the things as a teacher I can control?”

He worries that female students hear messages that “subconsciously perpetuate the stereotype” that the course is too hard and technical, and he worries those messages start from a young age. 

He noticed that boys tend to speak over the girls in mixed gender groups, so he groups girls together. But the girls continue to struggle with feeling like they belong, and once one left this year, it was a domino effect. He tried to get ahead of it. When the students struggled, he had them go over and correct their tests, giving them a chance to learn from their mistakes and bump up their grades. (He even shared an article with his class last year about why girls excel in the classroom but boys excel in the workforce.)

“There’s a feeling in this particular class: It’s hard, it’s different from what you’re used to,” Bianchi said. “You’re gonna hit a wall. You’re gonna fail. And that’s OK.”

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization covering public education.

Related:
Give teachers ownership to make computer science a success
How to implement a districtwide K-12 computer science program

Well-intended computer science initiatives are often met with reluctance and resistance before they even get off the ground. Teachers may see the new initiative as “just another thing” on their plate or may feel ill-prepared to tackle an entirely new discipline.

To ensure a smooth transition to teaching computer science, campus and district leaders will need to empower teachers with ownership of the change, versus simply asking them to comply with it.

Here are a few tips to ensure that your teachers are provided with space, support, and resources that will help them confidently assume ownership over the implementation of computer science initiatives.

Finding Time Through an Interdisciplinary Approach

Time. It’s the first thing to roll off the tongues of educators when asked what they need to be successful. It may even sound cliche to mention it, but in the specific case of computer science integration, time is more than a conceptual constraint on teachers. When it comes to computer science integration, time presents an actual structural constraint that must be overcome.

The structure of the school day is already set. We start our day at 8:00 in the morning, and we leave at 3:30 in the afternoon. In between, an hour is spent on math, on reading, on science, and on all the other things that are important and necessary to attend to students’ learning and other needs.

When there are only so many hours in the day, it becomes nearly impossible to find time for computer science—despite its potential to inspire, motivate, and meaningfully engage students in really cool things.

Most schools already have some kind of specials rotation in which students spend some time each week on art or music or some other subject. Computer science could become another spoke in that rotation fairly easily, and many schools are already doing this.

The problem with this solution is that it doesn’t provide much time for computer science, and it also takes away time from the other areas studied during rotations.

Related:
How to implement a districtwide K-12 computer science program
How we created a computer science curriculum in 5 steps

A better option might be to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to computer science. It can be folded into other classes and used almost like a lever to help students explore different problems. Data science, for example, is an excellent tool students can use to explore climate change. Students could also build a program that demonstrates their understanding of story elements such as characters, setting, and plot.

Supporting Teachers Who Step Up

Finding blocks of time for students to learn computer science isn’t the only scheduling challenge. Teachers’ schedules are important too. When a teacher steps up to teach a whole new subject, they shouldn’t be burdened with even more work. They are already taking on a new class.

Schools can’t make new time for them, but maybe they can have an extra prep period or be excused from lunch duty or maybe they get extra pay for their extra work. There are a number of ways to help ease this burden or compensate teachers for it.

Similarly, administrators can look for additional opportunities to reduce the burden on computer science teachers by ensuring their students have up-to-date devices, the internet access on campus is strong and reliable, and that there is IT staff available to keep everything running smoothly. If there’s a turnkey computer science solution that works for your district and doesn’t need to be cobbled together or contextualized by teachers, choosing that solution can save a great amount of time.

There’s a lot that needs to be in place, and your newly minted computer science teacher can’t carry the torch alone.

Choosing Curriculum That Educates Students AND Teachers

A curriculum that is educational for both students and teachers can take some of the work—and stress!—out of adding computer science. You want an easy-to-follow curriculum that has step-by-step directions, suggestions for places to dig in a little deeper, or notes to help generate constructive conversations with students about the broader social implications of a topic.

If those kinds of things are clear in the curriculum, it removes ambiguity, which will give teachers a boost of confidence. Your teachers are going to learn right along with their students about the computer science concepts they cover and will eventually become seasoned pros, but making it as simple as possible for them off the bat will go a long way toward ensuring early success. Give them curricula and resources that don’t demand expertise from them at the beginning—or potentially even at all.

Connecting Computer Science to Teachers’ Moral Purpose

More than folks in most other professions, teachers tend to have a moral purpose behind their work. Some of them may say it’s to create a brighter future, to have a positive impact in a child’s life, or any number of similar things. In the end, most teachers became teachers to make the world a better place. Make sure they are able to connect computer science back to that purpose.

For example, many school districts have developed a “portrait of a graduate” to depict the skills and dispositions they hope to impart in their students before they graduate from high school. Very often, these depictions include skills and dispositions that can be taught and reinforced directly through computer science instruction.

When teachers can see that the work they are doing, even if clunky and challenging in the beginning, is connecting directly to their heart-felt mission, they are much more likely to sustain the initiative.

Looking to Other Organizations for Inspiration and Collaboration

There are some amazing thought partners out there with resources for teachers and students working on computer science. Code.org has been putting great computer science resources out into the world for free for years now. Similarly, a quick search of the web for free computer science lessons will provide you with countless offerings.

Computer Science Teachers of America (CSTA) has local chapters teachers can join, along with a ton of resources, including free or low-cost professional development opportunities. Next year’s CSTA conference will also be held virtually, expanding access to those who may not typically have the budget or opportunity to travel to an in-person event.

Social networks like Twitter can also be great places to find experienced computer science teachers or others who are new to the journey and discovering what works for them and their students.

Simply getting a group of teachers together who are all focused on the same area can create a powerful professional learning network, so whether it’s online with strangers or in-person with your own district colleagues, banding together can be an excellent first step.

I was reminded of something simple and true about the will of educators when the pandemic forced them to shift from traditional in-person instruction to virtual teaching basically overnight. Time over time, need over need, they will rise to the challenge.

So, yes, there are a number of factors that make the integration of computer science seem overwhelming and almost impossible. But give your teachers the time, the support, the purpose, and the resources they need. Then, watch them rise.

With recent research showcasing the growing number of STEM-related jobs that will be available to our graduates in Indiana in the coming years, teaching computer science skills has become as important as teaching students how to read or do math. The state has recognized this importance by mandating that all schools incorporate computer science for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

As the career and STEM academy director for Barr-Reeve Community Schools, I helped our district integrate computer science into our K-12 students’ school days. Our program helps students develop essential skills for academic and professional success. I’ve learned a number of lessons along the way and hope districts across the nation can benefit from my experience.

Starting small

When creating a computer science curriculum from scratch, don’t try to get ahead of yourself and do everything at once. Instead, focus on finding a buy-in wherever you can to get your foot in the door, and then look to gain supporters along the way. Once you can start proving the benefits of adding computer science concepts into your school’s curriculum, more support from teachers, parents, and the school board will naturally follow.

For example, since we first introduced computer science themes into our elementary schools, our middle school teachers are now noticing that their new students are seeking more problem-based learning that stems from their early introduction to computer science skills. Now, our middle school teachers are computer science advocates looking for ways to weave in more CS themes into all of their classes—because this is what their students are excited about.

Empowering your teachers

Our program uses our existing staff, who were not previously computer science teachers. As a result, we provided our teachers with the support and tools they needed to feel comfortable teaching a new subject. Our goal was to meet our teachers exactly where they were and then reassure them that there were no expectations for them to be experts in this subject matter. We were on a journey together that would be a continuous learning process.

For us, empowering and supporting our teachers has been about finding the right resources. When we found Codelicious, a provider of intuitive K-12 computer science curriculum, we were grateful for the support along the way.

With its step-by-step teacher resources, problem-based learning, and supportive team, Codelicious provided the resources our teachers needed instead of requiring the teachers to go out and try to figure it all out on their own. The support team also helped demystify its comprehensive course load by narrowing it down to the critical lessons. This helped our teachers who weren’t experts in the curriculum understand the content on which to focus.

The lessons have a clear end goal and problems for the students to solve, so teachers can easily understand where to start and what the final result should be. Good teaching is still good teaching, no matter what the subject matter is. Our teachers already had the skills and knowledge they needed to succeed, and now they also have prepared lessons and comprehensive resources.

Turning Autonomy Over to Students

When we first started implementing our computer science program, one of our teachers ran into a problem: he didn’t know why the code that the class was working on wasn’t running. He spent all weekend trying to debug the code himself, ultimately without success. To solve this problem, we called the support team at Codelicious to ask for guidance. They gave us helpful advice and a new perspective on what it means to teach computer science.

The first important lesson we learned from this was that it’s not all on the teacher to solve all problems. You get to lean on the kids and work with them. Instead of taking your time trying to solve a problem, throw it up on the board and say, “Okay, who can help debug this? What are we missing?” Have the students work through it as a team.

The second lesson is that computer science is not about being perfect. If students get partway through the lesson, they already learned more than what they knew beforehand. As teachers and educators, we can appreciate the process of teaching and learning with our students.

Now, one of our woodshop teachers is also a beloved computer science teacher who embraces a new style of teaching where he shares his teacher resources with the students, puts the problem up on the screen, and says, “This is what we’re working on today.” He facilitates learning by first giving the students some autonomy and responsibility.

Expanding the program over time

Right now, we have a K–12 computer science program that meets the state requirements and introduces each grade level to fundamental skills. Our elementary school students are becoming comfortable with core computer science ideas, our middle school students have computer science embedded in their science curriculum along with the stand-alone elective option, and our high school students are offered online computer science electives.

We’re excited about the computer science program we offer now, but we also have plenty of plans for the future. Down the road, we plan to provide more niche computer science classes that cater to different career pathways for our high school students, such as business or graphic design. Thankfully, our supportive, modular curriculum is already giving our students the foundational skills they need, so when we implement these plans, our students will be ready.

Launching a districtwide computer science program has not been straightforward or linear, but knowing that we are helping our students become college- and career-ready has made the challenge worthwhile. The computer science program is helping students learn essential skills that apply to any career or life path, like problem-solving, teamwork, and creative thinking. I am proud to have helped create an effective computer science strategy that will carry students beyond high school, and I encourage others to follow our lead.

Even with a strict budget, limited teacher expertise in computer science, and the chaos of a pandemic, the Metropolitan School District of Pike Township (MSDPT) launched a comprehensive and engaging K-5 computer science curriculum for every student.

As an instructional specialist at MSDPT during the launch, I now understand how much collaboration, clever resource management, and hard work are required to run a successful K-5 computer science program. 

As computer science has been launched into the national spotlight, schools across the country are finding ways to integrate STEM themes into early education. Although we faced challenges at MSDPT, we were able to find solutions that fit our budget and empowered our existing faculty to teach this specialized subject with confidence.

Here are the steps we took to launch our program and the lessons we learned along the way.

1. Start small.

Launching a districtwide K-5 computer science curriculum was not a one-step process. Instead, we started small. First, MSDPT introduced a computer science course during a short summer enrichment program. Each class only had about 30 available spots, but these spots filled up each year in a matter of days. Once we saw how popular computer science was with our students and found out that Indiana had a computer science state mandate coming soon, we started to plan how to launch a more comprehensive K-5 computer science program. 

I encourage you to start small by sprinkling more computer science concepts into your existing curriculum. Look online for free computer science resources. We found plenty of free courses and information that introduced digital citizenship, online safety, and coding concepts to our students. 

2. Seek funding for a more robust CS program.

Although free resources were the best place to start, it took funding and persistence to get MSDPT’s K-5 computer science program to where it is today. To fund our expansion, MSDPT applied for and won a STEM acceleration grant from the Indiana Department of Education.

I encourage schools to get creative with funding opportunities. For example, try reaching out to local businesses to see if they’re willing to support any of your school programs, or contact online learning resources about accommodations for your school’s budget and needs. Look for funding opportunities with title funds, curriculum dollars, or private companies. In board meetings, express the importance of computer science skills for career readiness and advocate for STEM funding. 

3. Find a curriculum that empowers teachers and students.

Choosing the right computer science curriculum was critical to our program’s success. We went into this search knowing that we wanted it to address many computer science topics and be easy to teach, even with limited technical resources and expertise. 

As we looked to fill gaps we had in [1] [2] our existing computer science content, we found Codelicious. [3] [4] We tasked our librarians to create the original scope and sequence for computer science that was used during the school year, which allowed us to partner with Codelicious to fill the gaps we had in staffing during both the school year and our summer enrichment programs. We have since expanded our use of the curriculum with the newly developed scope and sequence when we moved to a full-year K-5 program, because it grew with us and fit our needs. [5] [6] 

A computer science curriculum should be easy to follow and should of course align with state standards. We tasked our librarians to create the scope and sequence we used during the school year. Flexibility and support are also important to consider, because technical issues are bound to arise. For example, Codelicious offered technical support and offline learning materials when we faced software problems with our school computers. 

4. Support the educators during program roll-out.

With funding and a comprehensive curriculum in hand, it was time to extend our computer science program. MSDPT started by rolling out the program to 4th and 5th graders in 2021. In 2022, the program now extends to all students from K-5. 

At MSDPT, our computer science classes are led by teaching assistants. These educators have varying levels of expertise in computer science, but with our curriculum and continued support from our tech support and librarians, our teaching assistants are empowered to teach computer science to all our students. 

Because the digital curriculum we use provides step-by-step teacher instructions, educators do not have to be experts in computer science to teach it. Our teaching assistants also save time on prep before class because the curriculum is comprehensive and already aligns with state education standards. 

By providing the right tools and support to educators, our computer science program has been able to thrive, without breaking the budget or overwhelming our faculty.

5. Expand the program with more lesson types and opportunities.

At MSDPT, we wanted our computer science program to go beyond teaching students to code. We wanted our K-5 students to not only learn computer science skills but also become better digital citizens, understand online safety, and learn soft skills along the way. To fulfill these goals, we chose a curriculum that goes beyond lessons to offer self-monitoring of screen time and highlighting STEM careers that our students can aspire to.

Using Codelicious courses and teacher collaboration, we are also integrating more district learning themes into our curriculum. For example, we had a “Women in Tech” panel discussion that featured real-world female tech executives. Events like this help our students see themselves in computer science roles.

With these extended learning opportunities and a consistent curriculum, students see paths to college and careers at a young age. Now, students are going through the complicated process of debugging their code. They’re telling their friends that they want to be video game designers when they grow up.

Before MSDPT began offering a computer science curriculum, we weren’t sure we had the specialized expertise, budget, or technical tools to make it happen. Through planning, collaboration, and choosing a teacher-friendly curriculum, we are now proud to offer our students an engaging, six-year course of study that promotes college and career readiness in this important STEM field. By following or learning from our roadmap that I outlined above, schools across the nation can integrate computer science themes into their classrooms—all while using existing teacher resources. 

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts across the country have seen an influx of funding for student devices, internet access, and a variety of edtech tools. While equity of access is still a challenge in many communities, this new funding has advanced a unique opportunity for schools to create pathways to computer science education, overcoming some of the challenges that made it inaccessible to many students in the past.

When combined with many states’ adopting new computer science standards, the pandemic has the potential to accelerate K-12 computer science education across the country. Some schools will find it difficult to fit new computer science into an already busy daily schedule.

But there’s a fix! Educators across the country are working on curriculum to integrate computer science into core content areas, alleviating the problem of where to fit a new computer science course into the busy school day. Computer science education is also being used as a tool for gauging social emotional learning. When computing devices become available to all students, it becomes equally important for districts to have a plan for the types of programming environments and platforms students will use as they build CS skills across the grades. Computer science is quickly becoming another tool, like the pencil and paper, that students use to express themselves and to demonstrate mastery of content in unique ways. Here’s where I see these trends going in the new year.

Computer science education will be integrated into the core curriculum.

The move toward 1:1 computers for students has been underway for years, but the pandemic greatly accelerated the trend. Since the school closures that occurred in spring of 2020, many school districts have not only provided students with devices, but also hotspots and other tools to connect to the internet from home.

Giving every student a computer has streamlined the process for providing computer science lessons because there’s no need to schedule time in the school’s only computer lab or to check out devices from a shared computer cart. This practical change has made it easier to incorporate computer science lessons into core subjects taught across the day, like math and language arts.

As more states adopt computer science standards, we’re also seeing innovative curriculum development for CS integrated units, like Code.org’s CS Connections and Coding as Another Language (or CAL) from the DevTech Group at Tufts University. Teachers already have a wide range of demands on their time, so an integrated approach allows teachers to meet core content standards for ELA, math and science, while exposing students to new methods for problem-solving and self-expression through computer science education.

A progression of platforms should be part of a district’s computer science planning.

When I work with districts on their computer science instruction, I emphasize the importance of a TK-5 progression to help students transition through different platforms and devices. I also encourage districts to take advantage of free programming tools, like Scratch Jr. and Scratch, which have a wealth of available lessons and support.

However, computer science instruction for TK-2 students is often neglected, with schools thinking that these students are too young for programming. But the same people who created Scratch Jr. have developed a screen-free programmable robot named KIBO specifically for this age group. KIBO’s wooden programming blocks mirror the digital code blocks used in Scratch Jr., and the robots create a smooth transition as students move from wooden blocks to tablets.

Coding will be used to gauge academic learning and SEL.

I’ve used computer science instruction in a variety of ways in TK-5 classrooms. For example, in kindergarten classrooms, teachers have used KIBO robots in math class to have students demonstrate their understanding of number cardinality by programming the robot to move a specific distance across the carpet. I’ve also helped teachers design lessons to have 2nd-graders program sprites in Scratch Jr. to retell a story from a different character’s point of view. In 5th grade, I worked with students to design web pages in Scratch as an alternative to making slideshows for Native American history projects. In these lessons, students tackled content requirements while investigating CS principles such as sequencing, events, and loops.

In our stressful times, computer programming platforms will be a safe space for students to share how they are feeling in the classroom. It can be challenging for some students to talk about how they feel, especially following traumatic events. For example, a lesson from New York City Public Schools asked students to program an emoji in Scratch to let the teacher know their mood as they returned to school at the beginning of the year. The same thing can be done with any programming platform, including KIBO robots, as students return to classrooms in the new year and beyond. The robot can be decorated and programmed to express a mood, or it can become the class “pet,” adopted, cared for and programmed to share how it’s feeling by a different student each week.

The end goal for computer science education will be access for all students.

As a STEM educator, it has been troubling to see statistics showing that enrollment in AP computer science courses does not often reflect the demographics of school districts. How can we prepare students in lower grades to see computer science courses as an option when they arrive in high school?

No matter what programming platform they use, if we give younger students opportunities to use computer science in a variety of ways, by the time they’re in middle school, they’ll see robotics and computer programming as just another tool they use to tell stories and solve problems that are personally meaningful to them. Many students now have access to computers and the internet for the first time. We have an opportunity and obligation to provide them with the computer science instruction they deserve, and the myriad learning opportunities it offers.

The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over, and that means educators across the globe are still finding inventive and innovative ways to support and teach students in classrooms, during hybrid instruction, and in virtual settings.

The eSchool Media K-12 Hero Awards program, sponsored by Trox, recognizes the determined and dedicated efforts of educators throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Never before have educators been challenged and tested as they were, beginning in March 2020 and up until today, and never before has their resilience been more apparent. Administrators, technology leaders, classroom teachers, and educators in all roles have persevered as they taught each and every one of their students during a global pandemic.

Here, eSchool News highlights Nick Baskwill–one of its K-12 Hero Awards finalists. Keep reading to discover how this educator keeps learning going in the middle of a global pandemic.

Nominee: Nick Baskwill

Nominated by: Unruly Studios

What makes this nominee a hero?

Nick Baskwill works with hundreds of elementary, middle, and high schools across Nova Scotia to drive technology integration and the adoption of innovative tools for tech and computer science education. Since 2015, when the government mandated that computer science be integrated into grades K-8, Nick has spearheaded the adoption of computer science education across classrooms including with robots, microcontrollers, and block-based coding apps like Scratch. He understands how to introduce tools that make the subject feel relevant and approachable for both students and teachers, who often have never coded before themselves.

At the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year, Nick ran a pilot with Unruly Splats, a STEM learning tool that combines learning to code with active play. He ultimately helped 50 schools across Nova Scotia implement Unruly Splats to code and play games during in-person and remote learning and across subject areas including PE, math, and music.

Nick accomplished this impressive roll-out during a pandemic that continued to cause disruption to the regular school calendar through the end of the school year. He had to get creative to integrate computer science in a way that took into account periods of remote learning, challenges with student engagement, and teacher capacity for trying new things in the midst of uncertainty.

Nick demonstrates an infectious passion for technology and a deep understanding of how to drive adoption of innovative tech tools that enhance the curriculum students are learning on a daily basis.

Some of Nick’s top tips for technology integration include:

– First, conduct a pilot with invested teachers you know are excited about new technology and will give honest feedback.

– Provide training at the beginning and throughout implementation to ensure teachers feel supported and confident. This may include group onboardings, webinars, PD sessions, lesson plans, and prebuilt examples.

– Identify an objective goal that you can measure for success. For example, 80% use in schools throughout the period of your trial.

– Find ways to integrate the same learning tools in a cross-curricular manner to drive more student engagement and teacher buy-in.