This is Computer Science Education Week (CS Ed Week) i and I have been planning for this since August. This morning, I began my celebration with an audio announcement played over the school’s intercom system. You can find the announcement at:
http://www.csta.acm.org/Advocacy_Outreach/sub/CSEdWeek.html
I also plan to show my computer science classes the five CSTA Computer Science videos, one each day, that celebrate the contributions that computer science has made in other fields. You can find the videos also at:
http://www.csta.acm.org/Advocacy_Outreach/sub/CSEdWeek.html
In addition, this evening I will be participating in a recognition ceremony during the school board meeting celebrating CS Ed Week. I was asked to lead the flag salute and speak for one minute about CS Ed Week. The school board will be honoring students enrolled in computer science throughout the district. I was asked to select two students for this honor. It was a difficult decision, but I selected two female students that have shown great promise in the class.
I have reflected and continue to reflect about what I can say in one minute. I plan to acknowledge the great work the students have done and how they have an advantage over students who have not taken on the challenge of a computer science class. I will also discuss the great job prospects that are waiting for these students after they graduate from college if they choose to major in computer science. Additionally, I plan to include how computers have permeated our society, are here to stay and programmers will be necessary to make all these devises do what people want. I just hope I can include everything I want to say within one minute.
The next activity will be on Wednesday. The computer science classes will be walking to a nearby business to be given a tour of their innovations. The students were very excited when I told them about the field trip and they are looking forward to it. They want to see what the business does that is across from the school’s parking lot.
The last activity I have planned is on Thursday. I will hold an open house during the lunch break. A former student will be participating who recently graduated with a degree in computer science. She will be discussing her college experience and her current job. My current students will be demonstrating AppInventor, Scratch and Alice. There will be hardware displays, a birthday cake for Grace Hopper and other snacks as well as silicon wrist bands inscribed with “Computer Science Education for all”. I hope this will turn into a recruiting event for the computer science classes.
This is what I have planned for this week. What are you doing? I want to hear your ideas and I encourage you to also make a pledge on the CS Ed Week website at:
http://www.csedweek.org/forms/thanks/pledge-step2-activity-2012
Myra Deister
At-Large Representative