Kaleigh Clary, a computer science graduate student at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, drove down to offer a day of free work for the American Museum of Natural History.
Why?
“Dinosaurs, man,” Ms. Clary said.
Computer programmers, it appears, like dinosaurs, a lot.She was one of almost 150 people who gathered for the museum’s “Hack the Dinos” challenge in November to create software tools to help dinosaur scientists.
Source: ‘Hack the Dinos’ Helps Paleontologists – The New York Times
Fewer than 10 percent of America’s high schools offer computer science classes. Educators say just adding courses isn’t enough — it will take teachers who inspire.
Source: Adding ‘Beauty And Joy’ To Obama’s Push For Computer Science Teaching
Adding a new, complex, technical subject to the curriculum won’t be easy. We hear from students, teachers, entrepreneurs and educators about the challenges.
Source: The President Wants Every Student To Learn Computer Science. How Would That Work? : NPR Ed : NPR
CSNYC is thrilled to announce Computer Science For All, a 10-year, $80 million plan to bring computer science education to every student in the New York City public schools.Computer Science For All is a public/private partnership between the City of New York and the private sector, which are bearing project costs equally. Public dollars will support the infrastructure and human capital needed to pull off what will be the largest effort of its kind. Private dollars will support stipends for the nearly 5,000 teachers who will be trained over the next 10 years, as well as the efforts of programmatic partners and a rigorous program evaluation that includes regular reporting on progress and impact.
By Dian Schaffhauser 02/23/15
The creators of a robotic garden from MIT are hoping it becomes a tool to encourage students — especially girls — to understand more about algorithms and programming. A team from both the institute’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab CSAIL and the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed a tile system that can be used to manage the garden via a tablet or a device with Bluetooth. Users can make a given flower or bunches of flowers bloom or change their colors by communicating with LED lights and dozens of tiny robots. More advanced users can also add their own commands and execute sequences in real time.
via LED-Lit Robotic Garden Nurtures Kids To Code — Campus Technology.
“Education is about preparing kids for life, and public education is about helping people have equal opportunity, helping those who don’t have as much money have a more level playing field,” said Ali Partovi, co-founder of Code.org, in an interview at the Big Ideas Fest a few months ago.
via Ali Partovi: Why Learning to Code Is Imperative In Public Education | MindShift.
Despite the rapid spread of coding instruction in grade schools, there is some concern that creative thinking and other important social and creative skills could be compromised by a growing focus on technology, particularly among younger students. Should coding be part of the elementary school curriculum?
via Teaching Code in the Classroom – Room for Debate – NYTimes.com.
By NITASHA TIKUMAY 31, 2014
WHEN I was 7 years old, I knew the capitals of most major countries and their currencies. I had to, if I wanted to track down a devious criminal mastermind in the computer game “Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?” On screen, the ACME Detective Agency would spit out clues like notable landmarks to help players identify the city where Carmen’s globe-trotting henchmen were hiding out. I wouldn’t learn how to pronounce Reykjavik for more than a decade, but I could tell you that its currency was called the krona.
The teaching of computer coding should be prioritised over modern languages, according to a survey of British adults.
Twice as many thought teaching computer coding in school should be a priority than the number who saw Mandarin Chinese as more important. Coding was the top choice for 52%, against 38% who favoured French lessons, 32% Spanish, 25% German and 24% Mandarin.
The poll was published by code.org, a campaign to introduce children and parents to coding. It has created Hour of Code, a series of free tutorials designed to show students the basics of programming in an hour.
continue reading: Computer coding more in demand than languages, survey shows | Education | The Guardian.
By Liana Heitin
Computer science education is getting something of a fresh look from state and local policymakers, with many starting to push new measures to broaden K-12 students’ access to the subject.
Seventeen states and the District of Columbia now have policies in place that allow computer science to count as a mathematics or science credit, rather than as an elective, in high schools—and that number is on the rise. Wisconsin, Alabama, and Maryland have adopted such policies since December, and Idaho has a legislative measure awaiting final action.
At least eight more states are in the process of reviewing proposals for similar legislative or regulatory changes.
“The amazing thing is not only the level to which policy changes are increasing, but the diversity, both regional and political,” of where it’s happening, said Cameron Wilson, the chief operating officer for the computer science advocacy group Code.org. “These are red states and blue states, and they’re all embracing this.”
continue reading: Computer Science: Not Just an Elective Anymore – Education Week.
