Check out this video from code.org which promotes schools to implement more computer science and programming programs in schools for all grade levels - complete with a number of the biggest geeks out there. STEM is a current hot topic, especially in the American school system, and the computer science community has been questioning why CS has been left out of STEM, when such a huge percentage of jobs that are in demand are directly related to computer programming? The video highlights this issue and seeks to change people's perceptions of computer programming and how/where/when it is taught in school. Have a watch . . .
As a computer science teacher for many years, who has started or developed CS programs at every school that I have worked at, I applaud the creation of this video and what code.org is trying to do. I have always told my CS students that it did not matter if they had other interests and strengths, that studying programming was still a great fit for them. In fact, I actively encouraged my students to try and find that niche field which combined computer programming with some other passion or area of interest, and that the career/job/area of research would find them in the end. I remember one student who combined her artistic talents with her programming ability, and went into the gaming industry as a designer. Another student of mine got interested in programming after doing an introductory course where we explored programming through robotics and 3D animation. She went on to study Computer Science and Applied Mathematics at MIT - I just wonder if she found a way combine her musical talents with her studies as well?
Back when I was working in Canada, I remember sending a student on a work experience placement which turned into a summer dream job for him. You see, I had this student in a beginner programming class and he also played ball hockey with us every week as one of our regular goalies. He had a love for hockey, but he was too small in stature to make it onto a junior team, so he was stuck playing ball hockey at school with friends (and teachers like me). Imagine his delight when I found him a work experience placement at EA Sports, which he of course loved. Imagine my surprise when I returned to school after the summer to find out that he got called back for a summer job at EA Sports working with John Vanbiesbrouck (a famous NHL goalie) doing motion capture for the latest EA Sports NHL Hockey edition. What a fabulous intersection of two passions, to find at the age of 16!? This is really what it is all about!
Throughout my 24-year teaching career (to date ;-), I have always taught programming and computer science in one way or another, except for now. This is partially due to my current position as a technology coach which means that I no longer have specific classes to teach, but it also has to do with the state of affairs with computer science curriculums that are being taught. More specifically, the changes that have been made to the IB Diploma Computer Science program. Stepping back for a moment, over my career I have taught CS within the Canadian system (BC provincial curriculum), American system, Advanced Placement program, IGCSE program and the International Baccalaureate (IB MYP and Diploma) program. I have also been an examiner for the AP, IGCSE and IB DP Computer Science programs as well. With so many years invested in teaching CS, stepping away from it was not an easy thing to do and I am still looking for ways to bring some programming back into the school as there are still some students who want it. But the recent changes that have been made to the IB DP CS program are such that my current school could not offer it any longer, and we have phased it out. Very briefly, it is my understanding that the IB sought to try and increase enrollment in their CS courses by changing the curriculum to make it accessible to more students, and to increase the number of potential teachers that could offer the course. But I think this plan has been misguided as much of the old programming curriculum has been removed from the course, and it has been changed to be an "experimental" course which comes with a move to the Sciences group in the IB DP organization. I think that the Science departments of international schools will not accept another course into their group as it waters down the number of students who take the mainstream big-3 sciences. Thus, overall enrollment in IB DP CS will likely decrease as even fewer schools offer the course at all. What a shame if this happens, but we will see with time.
Which leaves me with how to tap into the energy and excitement of teaching programming to students, writing code with students, and bringing CS back into the school in some way. Perhaps a club or elective course offering, or a program such as is on offer from code.org might do the trick. Writing code certainly is not for everyone, and not everyone will be good at it. It's just that most students have not had an opportunity to really explore programming in a meaningful and constructive way - there are many potential programmers out there that don't even know what they are missing. Remember that former student who went to MIT? She had no plans on taking Computer Science until she took a course with me - the challenge of programming really spoke to her inner love for solving problems and she had no idea that coding would have so much appeal. Most CS geeks got into programming long before their high school days.
What's happening with CS at your school? Is CS growing/shrinking/holding its own? Do you have a CS program in place, or has it been phased out? And if you offer the new IB DP CS course, what do you think about it?
Back when I was working in Canada, I remember sending a student on a work experience placement which turned into a summer dream job for him. You see, I had this student in a beginner programming class and he also played ball hockey with us every week as one of our regular goalies. He had a love for hockey, but he was too small in stature to make it onto a junior team, so he was stuck playing ball hockey at school with friends (and teachers like me). Imagine his delight when I found him a work experience placement at EA Sports, which he of course loved. Imagine my surprise when I returned to school after the summer to find out that he got called back for a summer job at EA Sports working with John Vanbiesbrouck (a famous NHL goalie) doing motion capture for the latest EA Sports NHL Hockey edition. What a fabulous intersection of two passions, to find at the age of 16!? This is really what it is all about!
Throughout my 24-year teaching career (to date ;-), I have always taught programming and computer science in one way or another, except for now. This is partially due to my current position as a technology coach which means that I no longer have specific classes to teach, but it also has to do with the state of affairs with computer science curriculums that are being taught. More specifically, the changes that have been made to the IB Diploma Computer Science program. Stepping back for a moment, over my career I have taught CS within the Canadian system (BC provincial curriculum), American system, Advanced Placement program, IGCSE program and the International Baccalaureate (IB MYP and Diploma) program. I have also been an examiner for the AP, IGCSE and IB DP Computer Science programs as well. With so many years invested in teaching CS, stepping away from it was not an easy thing to do and I am still looking for ways to bring some programming back into the school as there are still some students who want it. But the recent changes that have been made to the IB DP CS program are such that my current school could not offer it any longer, and we have phased it out. Very briefly, it is my understanding that the IB sought to try and increase enrollment in their CS courses by changing the curriculum to make it accessible to more students, and to increase the number of potential teachers that could offer the course. But I think this plan has been misguided as much of the old programming curriculum has been removed from the course, and it has been changed to be an "experimental" course which comes with a move to the Sciences group in the IB DP organization. I think that the Science departments of international schools will not accept another course into their group as it waters down the number of students who take the mainstream big-3 sciences. Thus, overall enrollment in IB DP CS will likely decrease as even fewer schools offer the course at all. What a shame if this happens, but we will see with time.
Which leaves me with how to tap into the energy and excitement of teaching programming to students, writing code with students, and bringing CS back into the school in some way. Perhaps a club or elective course offering, or a program such as is on offer from code.org might do the trick. Writing code certainly is not for everyone, and not everyone will be good at it. It's just that most students have not had an opportunity to really explore programming in a meaningful and constructive way - there are many potential programmers out there that don't even know what they are missing. Remember that former student who went to MIT? She had no plans on taking Computer Science until she took a course with me - the challenge of programming really spoke to her inner love for solving problems and she had no idea that coding would have so much appeal. Most CS geeks got into programming long before their high school days.
What's happening with CS at your school? Is CS growing/shrinking/holding its own? Do you have a CS program in place, or has it been phased out? And if you offer the new IB DP CS course, what do you think about it?
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