While we're on the topic of K-12 CS Education, does it strike anyone else as insane that the state with Silicon Valley does not have a proper credential process for CS?
Last time I checked, there were a few ways to be authorized to teach CS/programming related classes in a school, all with problems. The three credentials that authorize you to teach computer sciencey things don't test any CS at all:
- Supposedly, the business credential test has a question about flowcharts
- The industrial tech test asks about part of a computer
- The math test might have some set theory, but good luck trying to teach computer science with a math credential. The administration at your school would prefer you teach math as there's always a need for another math teacher.
CS is a delicate and fledgeling field in K-12 and right now it's a bleak road ahead. The small number of schools that have programming classes (let alone a CS track) is shrinking and the credential problem isn't helping.
One demonstration of the state of CS education is the college board's discontinuing of its Computer Science AB test in 2009 due to a mixture of lack of turnout and lack of qualified teachers to teach it. (Of the few CS educators out there, even a smaller subset could teach AB, most stuck to A).
With all of the opportunity generated by the industry pioneers here in CA, our CS education should be at the forefront nationally. We don't even have to embrace CS for its career potential. CS is a liberal art of the 21st century and I believe CS concepts would be worth it alone for its application and transfer to other subjects, especially math.
I know; I was stunned to see the ways that different states have handled the ACM's recommendations: http://www.acm.org/runningonempty/roemap.html (One of my friends from Idaho gleefully pointed out that they "don't suck at everything.")
If you're passionate about helping CA stay the course ahead, you really should check out some of the resources for talking to administrators at http://www.csedweek.org/ or even get in touch with the CSEdWeek organizers.
Last time I checked, there were a few ways to be authorized to teach CS/programming related classes in a school, all with problems. The three credentials that authorize you to teach computer sciencey things don't test any CS at all:
- Supposedly, the business credential test has a question about flowcharts
- The industrial tech test asks about part of a computer
- The math test might have some set theory, but good luck trying to teach computer science with a math credential. The administration at your school would prefer you teach math as there's always a need for another math teacher.
CS is a delicate and fledgeling field in K-12 and right now it's a bleak road ahead. The small number of schools that have programming classes (let alone a CS track) is shrinking and the credential problem isn't helping.
One demonstration of the state of CS education is the college board's discontinuing of its Computer Science AB test in 2009 due to a mixture of lack of turnout and lack of qualified teachers to teach it. (Of the few CS educators out there, even a smaller subset could teach AB, most stuck to A).
With all of the opportunity generated by the industry pioneers here in CA, our CS education should be at the forefront nationally. We don't even have to embrace CS for its career potential. CS is a liberal art of the 21st century and I believe CS concepts would be worth it alone for its application and transfer to other subjects, especially math.