I just returned from the Snowbird Conference in Utah and I was astounded at the level of attendee interest in education policy issues relating to computer science education in K-12. I Perhaps our time has finally come to work together as a community to make sure that all students have access to rigorous computer science courses.
The Snowbird conference is sponsored by the Computing Research Association (CRA) and here is how they describe the event:
The biennial CRA Conference at Snowbird is the flagship invitation-only conference for the leadership of the North American computing research community. Invitees include computer science, computer engineering, and information technology department chairs; assistant, associate, and prospective chairs; directors of graduate or undergraduate education; directors of industry or government research labs/centers; and professional society or government leaders in computing.
Clearly this is a group of people with a lot on their minds right now.
I was at Snowbird thanks to ACM CEO John White, who invited me to participate in a panel focusing on policy and advocacy for K-12 computer science. My fellow panelist Jan Cuny from NSF noted that it is always good when you have more people in the audience than on the panel. :-) And this time we had five people on the panel and more than 60 in the audience!
My job was to set the advocacy policy by describing the current situation with K-12 computing. I told the audience that I felt a bit like Chicken Little. I was there to tell them that the sky is falling (it is really is!) but I also wanted them to know that I have never felt so hopeful about our potential to make real, systemic, and sustained improvements to CS education. From new resources that are making CS concepts easier to teach (Alice, Bootstrap, Scratch, Scaleable Design, to name just a few), to curricula such as Exploring Computer Science and Media Computation that are teaching us how teach in ways that better engage all student, to the exploding number of professional development events for teachers this summer, there is much to feel hopeful about.
But as the Snowbird attendees pointed out, there are also many things that still makes us feel frustrated and discouraged. Computer science is not part of the academic core in schools and so we continually fight for a place in the school schedule and the state standards. In most states, CS courses do not count as a graduation credit. CS is still being largely ignored by national and state-level organizations that purport to support STEM. And the hot mess that is teacher certification is almost beyond belief. These are all things, however, that we can change through policy.
While many of the attendees rose to talk about these issues during our discussion, I was a bit disappointed that no one followed up those comments with: “And this is what I am going to do to fix this problem…!”.
So I would just like to offer three of my favorite quotes in hopes that they will inspire you to take that first step toward making change happen:
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it is those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” Desmond Tutu
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”Arthur Ashe
“You can’t build a reputation on what you intend to do.”Liz Smith
Chris Stephenson
CSTAExecutive Director

In our fast-paced, digitally connected world, we all seem to have less time but more work. Productivity experts will tell you that you have to focus on your number one priorities, create templates for the work you do over and over again, and break large projects into 10 to 15 minute segments in order to achieve them in a timely manner.
Well, advocacy can definitely be counted as a “large” project. It takes repeat efforts, lots of follow up and follow through, and a lot of persistence and perseverance. So to help make it a bit more manageable, I’ve put together a brief list of things you can do that will have an impact as long as you keep doing them. This is where the perseverance comes in. You can’t just do them once and then forget about them. The best news is that they can be done in 10 minutes or less.
#1: Write a letter to your school district administrator.
You know the value of computer science, but your administrator may not. Even if s/he does, it isn’t always at the top of her or his priority list. Your letter should focus on why it is important to have CS in your district, specifically how adding it into the curriculum benefits not only the students but the district as a whole.
Afraid you’ll hear your administrator tell you there is no money in the budget for CS? Offer alternative low-cost or no-cost solutions. Here are three to help you get started:

• Recommend setting up a district wide CS club after school. Start small and create the demand for it. Once you have a regular group of students, you can leverage their parents to help you advocate for funding it and building it into the regular school day.
• Host a CS weekend every couple of months. Use Alice or similar software that is easy to use and easy to teach but gets students engaged in creating their own programs.
• Team up with industry people in your area to provide a school-wide assembly that promotes whichever aspect of computer science that particular company focuses on. This is a win-win. They get exposure for their organization and your students get to see cool computer science jobs and outcomes. Not to mention, we all know how much students love getting out of regular classes and going to assemblies!

#2: Write or answer a blog post about the importance of computer science in K-12 education.
Blog posts don’t have to be long and they don’t have to be brilliant. Pick a topic and write about it. You can write about things like:

• What about funding for CS frustrates you?
• What has someone done recently that ignited your computer science passion?
• Or just answer someone else’s blog post.

It is all about taking some time to engage and connect. Reading a blog post and being a shadow person (someone who doesn’t comment) doesn’t drive up the SEO numbers for that posting. Exposure helps drive advocacy efforts and more people talking about a posting increase exposure. This leads to more people being aware of the problem, which in turn, increases support for the issue, etc. You get the point. Any politician will tell you the squeaky wheel does get the grease in political circles. So go out and squeak!
#3: Network with other CS professionals through your CSTA chapter.
Revolutions aren’t usually started by the actions of a single person. When people passionate about a particular subject get together they create an energy that can spread and cause change. You’ll find like-minded members at your local CSTA chapter. If you aren’t a member, then join. The cost is free! Then reach out to the group and start creating a buzz. It may take a while to pick up momentum, but once you get going you’ll be a CS juggernaut and implement the change you are seeking.
No chapter in your area? Grab some CS buddies and look into starting one. You will find more information on what is involved at the bottom of the chapter listing on the CSTA website.
#4. Contact the computer science department chair at a nearby university or college.
Computer science departments need students to stay in business and keep their funding. You are their direct conduit to students. Reach out to them and ask them how you can work together to build interest in and support for computer science in your school or district.
#5: Write a letter to your governor or mayor.
Do your pitch in the first paragraph. Since politicians are bombarded by high demands for their support, you have to catch their (or more likely an aide’s) attention in 30 seconds or less. Provide them with one hook that is important to their platform. For example, you could talk about the number of jobs that will need to be outsourced by 2018 if we don’t have enough computer science majors to support the growing CS job market. Point out how the impact of the loss of these jobs will affect your city or state. No government official wants to see companies relocate because they can’t find qualified workers.
After your hook, ask for a meeting or a call. Tell them what you want to discuss and why. Then provide additional supporting information but be sure to keep your letter to a page (or two at most). You won’t be able to state your case in a letter. It just won’t get read. It is really about getting that aide to read it and react to it. Your goal is to get that 5-15 minute meeting so you can do your pitch face-to-face.
Don’t worry if it doesn’t work the first time. Change up the content and write again. Or draft the next letter as a group. Again, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
There are more advocacy actions you can take in under 10 minutes. Those I have mentioned are just a few. In truth, sometimes just getting started is the hardest. Set aside 10 minutes once a week, and you will find that over a course of the year, you will have made a difference.
Lissa Clayborn
CSTA Leadership Cohort Wrangler

This blog entry was originally posted by Doug Peterson at his blog http://dougpete.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/old-and-new-dogs-new-tricks/ and is used with his permission.
The Computer Science Teachers Association recently posted an entry entitled “Who Teaches CS?”. That caught my eye and set me about thinking. Some of the facts presented in the post are:

Do you see a problem?
Computer Science is undoubtedly the fastest changing and I would suggest one of the most important subject disciplines there is. I’ve long been on the record advocating for at least one compulsory Computer Science course. It scares me that people aren’t recognizing the importance of the discipline. But, just offering the course is no guarantee of success.
Continued professional learning in the field is paramount.
This week, I attended the CSTA CSIT Conference. Day 1 was filled with hands-on workshops and Day 2 was packed with concurrent sessions and motivating speakers. Complete details are available at:
www.cstaconference.org
This conference was absolutely packed with great professional learning. It is supported by Microsoft Research, Google, and the Anita Borg Institute and is entirely devoted to the professional learning of Computer Science teachers. Even those old dogs who have been around the block with many initiatives from the past are here to learn going forward. It’s also refreshing to see new teachers learning and presenting alongside. Do you think you are on top of everything? Look at the topics addressed.

and so much more.
But it isn’t just about the new technologies or the next big thing.
Sessions devoted to advocacy and pedagogy presented a well rounded agenda for the attendees.
It begs the question though; it’s great for those who are in attendance. How about the rest? How will they address the issues identified above?
Doug Peterson
Doug — off the record