Presentation from the April 2015 kick-off meeting of the Texas Alliance for Computer Science Education (TACSE)

1. Kick-off Meeting
8 April 2015
www.tacse.org
@TACSEd

2. 2
Thank You Sponsors!
Partners

3. Agenda
 Introductions
 Objectives for the Group
 Background on Computer Science Education
 Texas Legislature 101
 Small Group Discussion and Report Out
 CSTA Officer Election – csta.acm.org
 “Open Mic”
3

4. Index of Changing Work Tasks in the U.S. Economy 1960-2009
4 Source: http://content.thridway.org/publications/714/Dancing-With-Robots.pdf
IndexValue:1960=50

5. TACSE Objectives
5
“Traditional” CS
Students
Everyone Else,
the
“Digitally Illiterate”
Digital Jobs
Everyone Becomes
“Literate” in the
Digital Society
1B
1A
Teach every
student the
foundational
understanding of
computer science
Increase
the number
of students
pursuing digital
careers

6. 1A. Teach every student the
foundational understanding of
computer science
6

7. 7
Computer Science

8. 8
Computer Programming

9. 9
Software Implementation

10. 10

11. 11

12. 1B. Increase the number of
students pursuing digital careers
12

13. Jobs Shifting in the Digital Era
13
Agrarian Workers
(farmers) Industrial Workers
(manufacturing) Creative/Digital Workers
(knowledge & technology)
Source: Richard Florida, Rise of the Creative Class (2002) and Dan Taylor (2013)

14. 14 Source: Code.org

15. 15

16. Texas Computer Science Task Force
16 Source: Carol Fletcher, Building the Texas Computer Science Pipeline

17. Texas Required High School Curriculum
 English language arts (5)
 Mathematics (5)
 Science (6)
 Social Studies (5)
 Physical Education (2)
 Fine Arts (8)
 Career and Technical Education (12)
 Language Other than English (3)
 Speech (1)…
17

18. 74.3(b)(2)(I) Tech App Curriculum Requirement – every district must offer, and
74.3(b)(4) each student must have the opportunity to participate in the following:
Computer Science I
AP Computer Scienceor
At least two (2) of the following:
• Computer Science III
• Digital Art and Animation
• Digital Communications in the 21st
Century
• Digital Design and Media
Production
• Digital Forensics
• Digital Video and Audio Design
• Discrete Mathematics for
Computer Science
• Fundamentals of Computer Science
• Game Programming and Design
• Independent Study in
Evolving/Emerging Technologies
• Independent Study in Technology
Applications
• Mobile Application Development
• Robotics Programming and Design
• 3-D Modeling and Animation
• Web Communications
• Web Design
• Web Game Development
Computer Science II
…and Technology Applications (4)
18 Source: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/tac/chapter074/ch074a.html

19. State Government
Principals and Administrators
Teachers & Counselors
Elementary
School
Middle
School
High
School
Post-
Secondary
School
Federal Government
Community
Citizens
Parents
Employers
Students
Public Education Ecosystem
19

20. Computer Science Legislative Update
 HB 3568 – Rep. Bohac
 Would create a Technology Applications allotment that would provide
weighted funding for these courses
 Status: Referred to Public Education
 HB 3816 – Rep. Bohac
 Would provide funding for programs to certify more teachers for computer
science as well as provide professional development for existing computer
science teachers
 Status: Referred to Public Education
 HB 3700 – Rep. Guerra
 Would establish a pilot project for participating districts to give 3rd math of
science credit for computer science and increase the number of certified
teachers
 Status: Referred to Public Education
20 Source: Jennifer Bergland, TCEA

21. http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/
21

22. “Follow” a Bill
22

23. 23
http://www.house.state.tx.us/committees/committee/?committee=400

24. Discussion Questions
1. What problems do you see in computer
science education? Where can this group
make an impact?
2. What would you like to get out of this group?
Topics for future meetings, activities,
connections, etc.
24

25. Personal Report Out
http://www.meetup.com/TACSEd/messages/boards/
“April 2015 Meeting”
 Post one thing you will do before the next
meeting to increase a student’s chances of
learning computer science
 I’ll also post a link to the presentation
25

26. http://csta.acm.org/
 It’s FREE
 Professional organization that supports and promotes
the teaching of K-12 computer science and other
computing disciplines
 National voice of K-12 computer science education
and its educators
 Annual conference in Dallas, July 12-14
 Central Texas Chapter
President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer
26

27. “Open Mic”
27

28. TEALS
www.tealsk12.org
 TEALS (Technology Education And Literacy in Schools) is a
grassroots program that recruits, trains, mentors, and places
high tech professionals from across the country who are
passionate about computer science education into high
school classes as volunteer teachers
 TEALS volunteers team teach with ISD teachers
 Teach AP CS A or CS Principles
 Embedded PD that builds teacher capacity
 Now recruiting volunteers for Austin
28

29. Code.org K-5 Teacher Workshops
 Single-day workshops hosted by Code.org Affiliates in
Austin, Houston and Dallas
Austin workshops every month
 Free of charge for all K-5 teachers
Free PD
Free curriculum
Free classroom supplies for unplugged activities
Free lunch!
 For more information and signup: code.org/k5
29

30. Thank you for attending!
Next meeting is Wednesday May 13th (second Wednesday of the month)
30

31. 31 Source: http://www.weforum.org/reports/new-vision-education-unlocking-potential-technology
4. ICT literacy – Ability to
use and create
technology-based
content, including
finding and sharing
information, answering
questions, interacting
with other people and
computer programming