The CSTA publication is called “Voice” and it has really come home to me the importance of having a Voice.
Our Ministry of Education (In New Zealand we have centralized education policy) has had three attempts in three years at “solving” the problem of Computing in High Schools. None of them, in my view, made or are making progress. But what is finally starting to happen is, informally computer science teachers themselves are “coming out” on a listserv (actually now a Google group) and uniting. They are giving voice to what is required. The listserv has to date been dominated by technical issues or “how do you assess this unit of work.” Now the hot topics are what do we want for CS, how do we achieve it, lets unite and make our collective voice heard.
It is heartening to see teachers gaining a voice and advocating. Several of us have chipped away for a few months and it is gathering momentum. Without those “starter” voices nothing would change.
So I encourage anyone, anywhere in the world, to use their voice. This blog may be a way of making that first contact with others in your own country! Or CSTA can put you in touch with others in the same geographical region.
Joining CSTA will open up that potential.
Margot Phillipps
International Director