Recently I had the opportunity to attend a workshop (conveniently located) at Purdue University. The workshop was sponsored by an NSF project title CS4EDU (http://cs4edu.cs.purdue.edu/). The goal of the CS4EDU project is as follows: to create new pathways for undergraduate education majors to become computationally educated secondary teachers. This includes a joint effort between faculty in the Department of Computer Science and the College of Education to create a Computer Science Teaching Endorsement program, based on the educational computing standards set by the International Society for Technology in Education.
The workshop brought together people from many different entities: university personnel, NSF personnel, CSTA personnel, and many high school teachers. The intent of the workshop was to discuss the CS Principles course, to share ideas and experiences, and to learn what others are doing in computer science education. However, I think the outcome of the workshop provided so much more. At the end of the two days, the organizers had each participant state what they gained from attending this workshop. So many teachers mentioned that they were thankful for the opportunity to network and meet other teachers with similar goals to them.
As a deliverer of professional development workshops, I am often so worried about the content of said workshops that I forget that there is often a bigger focus and purpose to these events. Teachers need that time to get together with other teachers so they can get new ideas and share their current ideas with like-minded people. There is a flipside to this though too- I know quite a few teachers who select their professional development opportunities based on what they can get out of it (stipends, fun location, etc.) But how many people opt in to a workshop based on what they can GIVE to the workshop? I’d like to challenge your way of thinking as you go through the next year. Teachers need other teachers to be there for them. The content of a particular workshop may seem like something you already know- but just think of all the experience you could share with a community of colleagues with a common interest!
So who is willing to step up to the plate and ask not what your professional development can do for you but what you can do for your professional development?
Mindy Hart
Chair, CSTA Professional Development Committee