K-12 Computing Education Seminar
Facilitator: Hélène Martin
Meetings: Tuesdays 1:30 - 3:00pm in CSE403
Syllabus | Volunteer Norms | Blog Schedule
Children love computers and now use them in all aspects of their lives. At the same time, the shortage of skilled computer scientists is dire enough for DARPA to fund outreach initiatives. In this seminar, we explore challenges and opportunities related to computing education for pre-collegial students. Our primary goal is to become more effective advocates and supporters of computing education in K-12. We discuss relevant education policy, teaching strategies and existing endeavors while spending time working with K-12 students in the Seattle area. Find weekly summaries of our conversations on the blog.
| Date | Topics | Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| April 9th |
Who are we? What was our K-12 experience like? What do we want to get out of the seminar? |
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| April 16th |
What should K-12 students learn about computing? Where does computing fit into the K-12 curriculum? Who controls what is taught in K-12 computing? |
Read Running on Empty, focus on p6-p31 Complete volunteering survey Register for the blog |
| April 23rd |
What is computational thinking? Why is 'computational thinking' currently favored over 'computer science' to describe K-12 programs? |
Read Computational Thinking and Bringing Computational Thinking to K-12 (Optional: A Plea for Modesty and Why Computer Science Doesn't Matter) |
| April 30th |
What is the role of programming in K-12 computing? How are teaching programming in K-12 and college different? |
What do students learn about programming from game, music video, and storytelling projects? Explore Scratch |
| May 9th (THURSDAY!) |
Are some computer science ideas easier to teach without computers? What are some strategies for designing effective unplugged activities? |
A CS Unplugged Design Pattern Explore CS Unplugged |
| May 14th |
What role can storytelling play in getting kids interested in computer science? What other books do you know that could get kids thinking about computer science? |
Teaching is a Form of Compression and Pascal's Apology |
| May 21st |
What challenges are associated with learning to program? What are some of the things to consider when choosing an introductory programming language? |
Learnable Programming |
| May 28th |
How can CS complement the goals of math classes? What has contributed to Bootstrap's success? |
Why Computer Science Doesn't Matter Explore Bootstrap |
| June 4th |
What does it take to start a CS program? What cool projects did your classmates work on? |
None. Guest: Andy Davidson |
(baby computer picture from here)