CSTA Launches Job Board

In the last year CSTA has received an increasing number of requests from schools and organizations looking to find computer science teachers to fill new jobs. At the same time, we’ve also been receiving requests from teachers who are looking for new job opportunities. To meet the needs of both of these members, CSTA has launched a new job board!
The CSTA Career and Job Center is the perfect place for job seekers and employers in K–12 computer science education to find each other.
Job Seekers
The CSTA Career and Job Center will help you find your next great career opportunity in our searchable database of computer science education jobs. Search computer science education jobs in academia and corporate including: computer science teacher, technical coordinator/administrator, curriculum developer, K-12 computer science education outreach coordinator, and others. Post your resume, and take advantage of free career tools for job searchers. These services are provided FREE to CSTA individual educator members.
Employers
Get started today by creating a company profile, posting your available jobs, searching resumes, and begin your search for an exemplary educator. Employers can choose from the following cost options:

  • 30-Day Online Job Posting ($190)
  • Enhanced 30-Day Online posting ($250)
  • Premium 30-Day Online posting ($310)
  • To access the CSTA Job Board, visit:
    http://cstajobs.acm.org
    or click the Job Board button from the CSTA homepage.
    Chris Stephenson
    CSTA Executive Director

    Rep. Elizabeth Esty Gets CS Amendment Passed

    Rep. Elizabeth Esty (CT-5) has successfully offered an important amendment to H.R. 4186 to expand a STEM teacher professional development grant under the National Science Foundation to include computer science teachers.
    Esty’s amendment (one of two she put forward) is now part of H.R. 4186, which would renew parts of the “America COMPETES Act” to support investments in innovation through research and development and improve America’s competitiveness. H.R. 4186 successfully passed the Research and Technology Subcommittee of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology, on which Esty serves.
    According to Rep. Esty, this amendment will give teachers additional resources to help prepare students for the jobs of the 21st century. “We have so many teachers in Connecticut who are going above and beyond to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, and it’s time we support them”, says Esty.
    According to the Conference Board, demand for computing professionals is roughly four times higher than the average demand for all other occupations, with more than 575,000 jobs in computing open as of January 2014. In the meantime, thousands of computer science teachers across the country struggle to get the same types of support and investments as their math and science colleagues. Rep. Esty’s work on this amendment is an important step in creating a more level praying field for computer science teachers by enabling them to access resources available to other STEM teachers.
    Chris Stephenson
    CSTA Executive Director

    Beyond Hour of Code

    That was the title I chose for a recent workshop that Vicky Sedgwick (@VisionsByVicky) and I presented at the local Computing Using Educators (CUE) Conference in California. I had meet Vicky a few months earlier at another local CUE Conference where she was presenting a session about programming with elementary and junior high students. We chatted after the session about other platforms that students at the elementary level could use. That was prior to Hour of Code.
    We kept in touch over Twitter. I attended an Edcamp conference in another neighboring county which was held after the Hour of Code event. During Edcamps the participants suggest topics and other interested teachers attend either to learn more or to help inform the teachers. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there were three sessions related to programming. The teachers were eager to get more information about teaching programming. I attended all three and was able to promote CSTA and help inform the teachers about teaching programming. I decided to apply to present at the local CUE conference about how coding could be used in other subject areas. Vicky had been considering the same topic. So we teamed up.
    Our session was scheduled as the last session of the day. I was concerned, but 15 educators attended our session. They were eager to learn and we had information to provide. The session was well received and I once again promoted CSTA.
    But that is not the only type of increase in interest that I have seen. In California, there has been legislation proposed to encourage computer science in elementary schools. I was able to consult with the Chief of Staff for the legislator that is authoring the legislation. Another piece of legislation that is making its way through the assembly is one that would allow districts to count computer science toward high school graduation. However, the computer science class must have the “C” designation for entrance to University of California/California State Universities. The computer science teachers will need to work as a team to get this new designation for their computer science classes.
    Last year I attempted to have one of my local assemblypersons pass a resolution to recognize “Computer Science Education Week.” I was unsuccessful for 2013. However, I contacted local assembly people again and found one that was willing to propose the resolution. It is now making its way through the legislature for 2014.
    Do I feel the exposure of Computer Science through Hour of Code has increased the interest in computer science? I do. I want to keep this momentum going! I noticed on the Code.org website that there are six states, California included, that have legislation pending to make computer science count as math or science credit. I encourage you to visit the website and if you live in one of the states, click on the link and tell your representative that you support the legislation
    What changes have you noticed since Hour of Code?
    What have you been doing since Hour of Code to promote computer science? We need to keep to keep the momentum moving.
    What can you do?
    Myra Deister
    At-Large Representative

    Why Would K-12 CS Teachers Want to Attend SIGCSE?

    These were my thoughts several years ago as I was headed to my first SIGCSE. It seemed on the surface a little intimidating when the majority of attendees and sessions dealt with college/university level computer science. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find that SIGCSE is the second best conferences I attend (the firs being the annual CSTA Conference)
    SIGCSE 2014 was the fifth time I have attended SIGCSE and there seemed to be more sessions and activities geared specifically toward K-12. I usually find, however that it is important to attend anything that piques your interest regardless of the intended audience.
    So here are my suggestions as you contemplate attending next year in Kansas City, Missouri.
    Look at all the workshops because many have high school (sometimes middle school as well) implications or are on different teaching tools that can be used in your classroom. Attending workshops are how I met many different people and gained experience with great tools for my classes. You spend three hours learning, collaborating, and sharing teaching practices. I highly recommend attending at least one your first year.
    Secondly, check out the Friday and Saturday schedule as this is when the sessions geared toward K-12 normally are. If you are a K-12 teacher and are only attending these days, there is a discounted HS rate as well. If you attend the full conference, you often find gems you would not otherwise know about. One of the best things that happened my first SIGCSE is I attended a paper session on using robots within CS courses. It was from the college perspective; however, I learned about a new robot called a “finch” and how it was going to be a cost effective option for those wanting to use robots. At that point it was still in beta testing but I in turn mentioned this to a local business that runs a computer camp in the summer. They were able to make a connection and help beta test the finches and, as a result, I also was able to use them. From there I was able to buy some for my classroom. Could I have still found out about the finch at a later time? Sure, but I had the benefit of listening to the creator, hearing the plan, and following it from its inception.
    Another great example is that information regarding the CS Principles course from the concept to the piloting has been showcased at SIGCSE. These are just a few of many examples of the benefit of SIGCSE.
    Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, are the relationships you build. While I will admit that the CSTA Summer Conference is the best place to collaborate with other CS K-12 teachers, SIGCSE is a great place to collaborate with community colleges, universities, and even other organizations. I have met several professors from universities in Ohio and have been able to continue conversations with them as well as work with them on some summer projects. This is the conference is where K-16 computer science educators can learn from each other and make valuable connections that they normally would not make.
    Stephanie Hoeppner
    CSTA 9-12 Representative

    Grant Proposal Time and the Unexpected Benefits of CSTA Chapters

    It is that time of year again. All across the country computer science faculty members are preparing to submit their grant proposals. This means that they are also sending requests to CSTA for involvement in their grants and for letters of support to accompany their grant proposals.
    CSTA receives so many requests for grant project involvement and letters of support that we had to set up a protocol to deal with them all. The protocol defines three different kinds of CSTA engagement:

  • Principal or Co-Principal Investigator
  • Paid Subcontractor and
  • Letter of support.
  • Each of these is defined and although each involves a different process for making the request, the CSTA Executive Committee uses the same criteria to evaluate every request. These are:

  • The overall quality of the project (as described)
  • The extent to which the project is consistent with CSTA’s mission
  • The extent to which the project forwards CSTA’s goals and objectives
  • The extent to which the project will benefit CSTA members
  • The extent to which the curriculum goals of the project reflect CSTA’s curriculum priorities and documents
  • The extent to which the project may or may not be in conflict with proposals that CSTA is submitting to the same or similar grant programs or institutions
  • Institutional membership in CSTA
  • These may seem like a lot of requirements for a letter of support but this is the only way to make sure that CSTA recommends only those projects that are worthy of the support of our 16,000 members and that we use our resources, including our reputation, to support those institutions that, in turn, support CSTA and its members.
    It is perhaps not surprising that the most important factor in CSTA’s involvement in national, regional, and local computer science education projects is the phenomenal success of the CSTA regional chapters program. Thanks especially to the work of CSTA Chapter Liaison, Fran Trees, there are now more than 53 CSTA chapters in the U.S. and Canada and more are added each month.
    Many of these chapters are playing a direct role in several very large grants from the National Science Foundation’s CE21 grants program. They are serving not just as peer-to-peer professional learning communities, but as centers for innovation, professional development, and advocacy. The chapters are also hot-houses of CSTA’s blossoming leadership programs and exemplars of mutually-supportive relationships between K-12 educators and post-secondary faculty.
    Over the years, it has become increasingly easier to understand why the chapters prove so attractive to faculty members looking for grant partners. The chapters provide a direct link to teachers and students. They are a place where the ingenuity of research can meet the realities of classroom practice. The CSTA chapters provide an invaluable meeting of the minds for computer science educators of all levels.
    Since their inception, the chapters have also been perceived as providing an invaluable link between K-12 computer science educators and post-secondary mentors. But this weekend at SIGCSE, I learned that CSTA’s chapters are being viewed in a new and unexpected way. They are increasingly seen as an important resource for post-secondary faculty who are similarly in need of mentoring. As Dale Reed from the University of Illinois Chicago noted: “As computer science faculty in universities, we know a lot about computer science but many of us have had absolutely no training in teaching. Being part of a CSTA chapter gives us access to people who can help us learn to be better teachers”. As is true in the best cases, the mentoring goes in both directions.
    If you would like to become more involved on a CSTA chapter, feel free to contact me at:
    c.stephenson@csta-hq.org
    and I will introduce you to a wonderful community of practice.
    Chris Stephenson
    CSTA Executive Director

    What Isaac Asimov Said About Computer Science Education in 2014

    After attending the World’s Fair in 1964, Isaac Asimov wrote about the world 50 years in the future, 2014. Fun to read, but I was especially interested in what he wrote about the state of computer science education in 2014. According to Asimov, by 2014
    All the high-school students will be taught the fundamentals of computer technology, will become proficient in binary arithmetic and will be trained to perfection in the use of the computer languages that will have developed out of those like the contemporary Fortran (from “formula translation”).
    Right from the first word, we can see that Isaac Asimov would have been likely to support the ongoing efforts of CSTA. But in this one phrase: All the high-school students his prediction both fell short, because we have excellent computer science education in K-8, and overreached, because not all high-school students have access to computer science education.
    Many high school students have had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of computer technology, it is true. However, Asimov realized that being a user would not be sufficient. He finishes up with a sweepingly optimistic vision of every high-school student being able to write code in a high level language.
    We may not be there yet, but it isn’t for lack of trying!
    In the 10 years since CSTA was founded, we have worked hard to make this prediction come true. If you were a teacher 10 years ago, or a student 10 years ago, take a moment to recall what the computer science education landscape looked like before CSTA got to work. No standards, no regional chapters, no national conference, no advocacy, very little research. We’ve come along way in 10 years but there is much more that needs to be done to achieve the future Asimov predicted for us.
    Thank you to everyone who worked so hard for so long so we could come so far!
    Tammy Pirmann
    School District Representative

    Creating a Professional Learning Network

    For the first time in my teaching career, I am teaching at a school with other computer science instructors. Not all computer teachers are as lucky; many are the only such teachers in their schools, and in some cases, even their districts. The availability of advanced placement computer science classes in some high schools makes finding other high school computer science teacher more likely. Sadly, communities of fellow K-8 teachers are much harder to find.
    In an effort to find a professional learning network, I recently expanded my search to include virtual connections. For the past couple of years I had been attending professional conferences and workshops for computer teachers. As a result of my participation and attendance, I met a number of K-8 teachers. But, I soon came to realize that the once or twice a year contact that conferences provided was not enough. I needed this connection and assistance to continue throughout the school year.
    My local pool of K-8 computer science educators is small, so I decided to explore additional ways to extend my contacts. My sister found social networking to be very helpful to her professionally, and I heard that I could expect similar results for education. As a result the #CSK8 twitter hashtag was born.
    So what exactly is a professional learning network or PLN? A PLN is defined as “a system of interpersonal connections and resources that support informal learning” (from The Connected Educator: Building a Professional Learning Network by Allison Rossett). And why should you create your own PLN? Participation in a professional learning network helps teachers learn from each other in a self-directed and communal way. They are much more flexible, and personalized, than conventional, professional development programs, and, because they aren’t limited by availability and location, educators can access their PLNs on their own time from their homes, during planning periods, or even at a local coffee shop. All of which makes, a PLN the perfect vehicle for “lonely” K-8 computer science teachers.
    How to get started with PLNs
    If you are new to twitter, it can be an intimidating experience. Twitter is not just about the latest fashion trends, or shout outs from celebrities. It has become a viable option for educators looking for ways to connect and learn from each other. For many educators, Twitter has made more of an impact on their professional learning than other professional development opportunities they’ve attended. The learning is real, the ideas are powerful, yet simple, and the connections to resources and people are almost infinite (from 21 things 4 the 21st Century Educator).
    To start, simply go to Twitter and create an account. The first thing you will need to do is find fellow educators to follow. A number of CSTA board members are currently on twitter (see the list below).
    Another good way to narrow your search is to use a #hashtag to locate topics of interest. Here are some common computing hashtags: #CSK8 (Computer Science in K-8), #KidsCanCode, #CS4ALL (Computer Science 4 All), #HourofCode, #BeyondHourofCode. You can also find organizations and conferences using twitter “handles” or hashtags. For example, CSTA has the hashtag #CSTA, handle @csteachersa, as well as a hashtag for this year’s conference #CSTA14.
    I am so glad I joined twitter. Being a K-8 computer science teacher can be lonely at times. Computer science for the primary grades is still in its infancy, so quality curriculum, pedagogy and classroom resources can be hard to locate. Belonging to a PLN through twitter has helped me navigate the resources that the web has to offer while simultaneously connecting me to other computer science professionals to share the journey.
    Twitter Resources:

  • Great Schools Partnership
    http://www.greatschoolspartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/TwitterWebinar_linksonly.pdf

  • 21 Things 4 The 21st Century Educator
    http://www.21things4teachers.net/17—professional-learning-networks.html

  • Getting Smart’s 20 tips for creating a professional learning network http://gettingsmart.com/2013/01/20-tips-for-creating-a-professional-learning-network/
  • Additional Twitter Resources:

  • List of Educators on Twitter
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmdX57Dqx0tEcE1fWkU1QlMwU2dxRGFibmhsOFoyYUE#gid=0

  • List of weekly Twitter Chats by #Hashtags
    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AiftIdjCeWSXdDRLRzNsVktUUGJpRWJhdUlWLS1Genc#gid=0
  • CSTA Board Member and Staff Twitter Accounts

  • Lissa Clayborn – @CSTALissa
  • Myra Deister – @shhsMath
  • Patrice Gans – @reesegans
  • Michelle Lagos – @mglagos!
  • Karen Lang – @kmclang
  • Irene Lee – @ProjectGUTS
  • Pat Phillips – @patjphillips
  • Tammy Pirmann – @tammypirmann
  • Chris Stephenson – @chrisstephenso
  • Alfred Thompson – @alfredtwo
  • Patrice Gans
    CSTA K-8 Representative

    Celebrate Canadian Computing Education Day 2014 in Video (and in Song, If You Like)

    February 21, 2014 is the 2nd Annual Canadian Computing Education Day. It is an initiative of the Canadian Association of Computer Science/Association d’Informatique Canadienne (CACS/AIC) whose members are the universities across Canada that offer Computer Science degree programs. CACS/AIC has also been actively encouraging the formation of CSTA chapters (or equivalents) in each Canadian province and territory. CACS/AIC is just one of many organizations concerned with computer science education in Canada.
    Computer Science Education Week, focused on the United States of America though international in intent, is an important activity in Canada. This year, many Canadians took part in the Hour of Code. The anniversary of Grace Hopper’s birth is a great time to celebrate computer science education: I enjoy showing my students a YouTube video of her appearance on a 1986 episode of Late Night with David Letterman.
    A week-long event in the United States seems appropriately scaled as a day-long event in Canada. The day in February was chosen at the end of what we call “Reading Week” at Canadian universities, which happens at the same time of year for many institutions. In several provinces, the week begins with a statutory holiday on the Monday. The rationale is that universities without students are better able to host visitors from the surrounding community during open house events. Last year, computer labs were full of kids eager to experiment with LEGO blocks and robots, arduino hardware, and vegetables as musical instruments using Makey Makey (all controlled by Scratch programs). We suggested that Canadian Computing Education Day could also be known as Scratch Day Canada (since Scratch Day always seems to happen on a very important long weekend in Canada). We will make the same suggestion this year, for all those Scratchers out there, and we will also have the wonderful resources from Code.org and the Hour of Code that will be sure to provide even more excitement with kids of all ages.
    Inspired by Hour of Code’s videos, especially their Hour of Code kickoff video that featured Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepson, we decided to invite Canadians (wherever they may be) to submit short video segments (not more than about 30 seconds) talking about the importance of computing and computer science education in Canada.
    You can find out all the details about the project at: http://www.CanCompEd.ca/2014video. Links on that page will direct you to the great code.org videos for inspiration, in case you aren’t sure what to say. Don’t worry if don’t have a videographer available. Your video messages captured on cellphones will also help to capture hearts and minds when the video is released on February 21
    As you can see, there is no time to waste: make sure that your friends, family, and favourite celebrities and movers and shakers know about the video project. We welcome submissions from everyone, and especially encourage students and teachers to take this on as a class project.
    For those on twitter, please retweet this to your followers:
    https://twitter.com/CanCompEd/status/429355252924420096
    Are you passionate about #CS Ed? Submit your short video celebrating #compsci in Canada for #CanCompEd Day cancomped.ca/2014video/
    And follow @CanCompEd to help the video launch to go viral.
    Please visit http://www.CanCompEd.ca/2014video and make your submission no later than Tuesday, February 18.
    If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me: hepting@cs.uregina.ca
    Daryl Hepting, Ph.D.
    CACS/AIC Outreach Committee Chair
    CSTA Saskatchewan Chapter President

    Are We Preparing Our Children?

    Tech72.jpg
    CSTA Advisory Council Member Anita Verno of Bergen Community College working with students from East Newark Public School as part of an on-site Technology Day at Bergen.
    The next generation will interact with computers in ways we cannot imagine. Are we preparing our children?
    Today’s children are high-level users of computers. Give them a tech toy; they can work with it. But, are they using it creatively? Do they have any understanding of the possibilities? When they send a text on their smartphone, do they ever think about the power in that device? I believe that the youth of today are using computers in a similar way they use a TV remote. While they can’t imagine life without a remote, few use all the capabilities that are available. Computer Science education is a must for all students so they can head into the future, confident that they can move forward with the technology, take advantage of the computing power it provides, and use technical tools to carve out new and creative solutions to problems.
    When does computing education begin? At birth? Pre-school? Elementary school? Middle school? High school? College? The earlier the better. I am attempting to target elementary school. Is this possible? Can we teach computer science concepts to young children? The answer is unequivocally yes. However, the expectations must be realistic and the approach simple.
    College faculty can help expose elementary children to CS by providing workshops for teachers, visiting schools to help deliver lessons, and inviting schools to participate in Technology Day activities on-campus. Elementary teachers often are not able to determine what CS content is appropriate to offer or they may not have sufficient technical background to deliver computing lessons. The workshops help teachers understand the possibilities and consider ways to fit CS activities into their existing curriculum. A college faculty visit to a local school to help deliver a lesson provides a higher level of support as a teacher begins teaching CS. And a visit by elementary children to a college campus permits young students to engage in CS activities that enhance current learning. In addition, it exposes children to the college environment and may encourage some to consider continuing their education, possibly to include a career in computing.
    A bonus for the college faculty members participating with young children is watching the “awakening”. “Wow! I can do that?” Additionally, I often find myself reevaluating approaches for teaching my college students as I learn how to break down content to the most basic level. Ultimately, if I can prepare lessons and teach programming or web development to a 10 year old, I can employ similar techniques to engage my college students.
    How to get started? Here’s an approach that has worked for the Information Technology faculty at Bergen Community College. Approximately once a year we invite teachers, including the CSTA-NNJ members, to attend a Saturday morning workshop that is also serving as a meeting of the Community College Computer Consortium (CCCC-NJ). The CCCC membership is primarily comprised of CS and IT community college faculty from around the state. This workshop provides the opportunity for networking as well as serving as an educational event. The networking at the workshop, outreach activities through various areas at my college, and inquiries from local teachers often serve to pair teachers with college faculty for continued discussions of CS education.
    When there is interest in bringing CS education to a class, particularly an elementary class, I will work with a teacher to determine the best approach based on available equipment at their school. One approach that has worked well is to plan a Technology Day event at the college based on a future curriculum topic. Students love a field trip and the CS lesson will be delivered by college computing faculty rather than the elementary teacher. Once the topic and the Day are set, one or more pre-event lessons are developed together to prepare the student for Technology Day. The lessons include preparatory info about the CS activities that will be part of Technology Day. Follow up activities for after Technology Day should also be planned. To ensure the Technology Day event will run as smoothly as possible, I invite a few of my college students to assist as teacher aides. The more help the better.
    Benefits to the students: Exposure to the college campus, exposure to computer labs (if there are no labs available at school), and participation in introductory CS activities.
    Benefits to the teachers: Help with planning and delivering CS instruction.
    Benefits to the college faculty: Exposure to new ways to structure and present engaging lessons. The methods can be scaled and used with the appropriate modification for instruction to college students. Additionally, modeling outreach activities for college students helps them understand that you “do” as well as “say”. And for community college faculty, community service is often a bonus when applying for promotion since one role of community colleges is to provide services to the community.
    I believe helping young children understand that computing is only limited by their imagination is one of the most rewarding activities of my professional career.
    Anita Verno
    Associate Professor, Information Technology
    Bergen Community College
    CSTA Advisory Council Member

    Lessons Learned While Implementing a Dual Credit Course.

    I’d like to share with you some of the opportunities and barriers we encountered while implementing a dual credit CS course in high schools across New Mexico.
    New Mexico Computer Science for All, an NSF-CE21 funded CS10K program, recently completed its first cohort year. The program was designed to prepare high school STEM teachers to serve as learning coaches or TAs during the lab portion of a dual credit University of New Mexico CS151L course offered at their high schools. Using a flipped classroom paradigm, high school students watched videos outside of class time then participated in design and build computer modeling experiences during the school day at their local high school. Students received both high school and college credit for completing the course.
    Here is what we learned that may be of benefit to other educators and policy makers.
    1) Access issues still exist even though many schools have computer labs. We found schools that were using netbooks as dumb terminals and running apps off a server, then blocking access to server and internet access during the course so bandwidth could be reserved for State Test takers. One solution was to provide thumb drives loaded with videos and the NetLogo executable.
    2) Our content/assignments need to be sensitive so as not to trigger negative reactions from students and teachers. For example, one video used the term “drunkard’s walk” to describe random walks but this hit too close to home for some students. We substituted the term with “lost puppy”. On another occasion, we rewrote an assignment to avoid focusing on individual pride because it counters some students’ cultural values.
    3) Course expectations need to take into account teachers’ and students’ realities. Using possibly new vocabulary during quizzes or exams is unfair to students whose first language is not English. We found that, unlike our personal educational experiences in earlier times, students today do not have access to dictionaries in the classroom (and are not allowed to go online during quizzes and exams).
    4) It is important to make it clear to all constituents and partners that this is NOT a weed out course. The course can be a “college prep” course / a dual credit course without being a weed out course. We argue that any computer science that a high school student learns IS preparation for college and future endeavors.
    5) The role of NM-CSforAll instructors, facilitators and program managers, is to be problem solvers, not gate keepers. Instead of first imposing university or program expectations, collaboration with teachers has helped us design a program that will work in their setting (while at the same time maintaining most of the program’s goals).
    6) We’ve learned that even students with low GPAs can succeed in our course. Students’ past academic performance is not necessarily predictive of performance in our CS course. We found that students engage in a different way with learning computer modeling and simulation. Dropping the GPA requirement for taking the dual credit course has allowed many students to take the course.
    7) Positioning the course as an Introduction to Computer Science through modeling and simulation has shown broad appeal. While we don’t have a similar course positioned as a “programming course” to compare it to, we believe NM-CSforAll’s approach had broad appeal because of the students who took the course. Seventy-four percent of students taking the CS151L course were from underrepresented in STEM and Computing (including underrepresented racial/ethnic groups and young women).
    8) The option to receive dual credit was a draw for students but high school students also needed to be able to gracefully withdraw from dual-credit. If not, failing students would be in danger of getting an F on their college transcript before even getting to college.
    If others in the CSTA community are interested in or currently attempting to offer Computer Science via the dual credit route, we’d love to hear from you!
    Irene Lee
    CSTA Computational Thinking Task Force Chair