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All Students Deserve Access to Computer Science Education

The lack of access to computer science courses is also a crisis of equity in education. In most school systems in the United States students can complete their entire K-12 education without any exposure to computer science principles. Lack of access and poor recruitment practices lead to deep inequities in computer science education for historically underserved groups; specifically students of color and those identifying as female. Nearly every aspect of our lives is touched by computer science. Students need to understand the cyber world in which they live in order to successfully navigate it. All students deserve access to computer science education and it’s our duty to provide them the opportunity.

At the end of this session participants will be able to:

Understand the deep equity issues that exist in computer science education because of a lack of access
Understand the need for districts to create computer science pathways and learning opportunities for students to engage with computer science principles
Locate resources to help districts begin or continue the process of implementing computer science pathways with a lens focused on equity.

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Dennis Large, Ed.D.

Director of Educational Technology

Riverside County Office of Education

@dennislarge

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Heidi Baynes

Coordinator of Educational Technology

Riverside County Office of Education

@baynesheidi

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First computer

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First computer: 1943

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First computer: 1943

First computer program:

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First computer: 1943

Ada Lovelace

First computer program: 1843

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Code.org Research

United States Computer Science Statistics

bit.ly/ccbeRCOE

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Computers and software are changing everything…

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…but the majority of schools don’t teach computer science

Source: Access Report

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Source:

Change the Equation

Even when students enjoy computer science and the arts the most

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Our students should

learn to code…

Some may think:

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Our students should

learn to code…

Our schools should teach computer science

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Computer science is just about learning technology

Some may think:

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Computer science is just

about learning technology

Computer science is about logic, problem solving, and creativity

The reality is that computer science is about logic, problem solving, and creativity
It teaches students how to think differently about problems they are trying to solve in any context
It teaches kids how to create digital artifacts and how those artifacts impact the world around them by looking at issues such as privacy and security
A very simple way to think about this is CS teaches kids how to CREATE new technologies instead of just being consumers of technology
Just as important as recognizing what computer science is, is recognizing what it is not
It is not basic HTML design, it is not learning to use applications or a photoshop course
Many of these thing CAN be part of a computer science course, but they are not the foundation of the curriculum
We can do better than simple technology literacy – we can make kids creators of technology

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Computer science is vocational

Some may think:

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Computer science is vocational

Computer science is foundational

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Technology affects every field

What is a technology you use daily at work? Personal life?
The reality is that technology affects every field of commerce
In healthcare – computing is part of operating rooms every day and it is enabling breakthroughs like these contact lenses that detect levels of insulin for people with diabetes
In space – we are depending on a generation of robots to explore where humans cannot now
In our homes -- we are automating everyday things like our heating systems
On our roads – we depend on navigation systems to get us home and now we are experimenting with bringing self-driving cars into our everyday lives
In entertainment – blockbuster movies depend on computer science to bring new characters to life and provide us new completely animated worlds
And every single day this trend is growing across every single industry

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Every 21^st century student should have a chance to learn about algorithms, how to make apps,

how the internet works, and how to safely and successfully navigate the digital world.

So let’s take a little audience pop-quiz
How many of you can answer these questions?
What is photosynthesis?
Or what is H2O?
These are all things that we expect kids to graduate high school knowing
Every 21^st century student should also have a chance to learn about algorithms, how to make an app, or how the internet works.
Right now there’s no expectation in our schools that students will even have a basic understanding of these concepts, even though they are driving a large part of our society.
It is equally important that students understand what a “for loop” is and how it is used and how to design algorithms is as it is that they understand how to solve an equation or how plants live
The main reason that computer science is now foundational knowledge necessary in every school is because it will allow students to think about problems differently
Students will gain computational thinking skills, which embody a more robust way to think about problems
And the problem solving process can be applied to any field of study and to any problem
If you are facing a big, ambiguous project at home or at work, computational thinking and problem solving processes can help you break this problem into smaller chunks. Recognizing what’s important and what needs to be solved first are critical thinking skills that are valuable in ANY context

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Screen Time Recommendations: American Academy of Pediatrics

0 - 18 months: Avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting.
18 - 24 months: Choose high-quality programming, and watch it with children to help them understand what they're seeing.
2 - 5 years: Up to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children.
6 and older:

Consistent limits on the time & type of media use, make sure media doesn’t replace adequate sleep or physical activity.
Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms.
Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline.

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The tech industry is desperately trying to hire computer programmers in California

Some may think:

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The tech every industry is desperately trying to hire computer programmers in California everywhere

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Sources: Conference Board, National Science Foundation, College Board

72,593 open computing jobs
7,311 computer science graduates
47% high schools teach AP CS

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believe offering computer science is more or equally as important as any required course.

83% of parents and 64% of principals in rural and small towns

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Source: Brookings

The value of a computer science education

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500,000 current openings:

These jobs are in every industry and every state, and they’re projected to grow at twice the rate of all other jobs.

Computing jobs are the #1 source of new wages in the United States

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This problem is

about “STEM”

(Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math)…

Some may think:

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Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics

The STEM problem is in computer science

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K-12 computer science

University computer science

Software workforce

Women who try AP Computer Science in high school are ten times more likely to major in it in college, and Black and Hispanic students are seven times more likely.

Sources: College Board, National Center for Education Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Solving the diversity problem begins in K–12

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Our state policies can help fix this picture…

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Only 37 states have created K–12 computer science standards.

Momentum is building, but we still have a long way to go.

States with K–12 CS standards

States without K–12 CS standards

The state of K–12 computer

science standards

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Computer science counts statewide

Computer science can count (school decides)

Computer science is an elective

CS can count for graduation in

48 states + DC

In 48 states plus DC, computer science can count towards high school graduation math or science requirements - up from 12 states in 2013.

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Underrepresented minorities taking an AP CS exam

Female students taking an AP CS exam

2007

2019

2007

2019

And, in schools that teach CS, enrollment is through the roof…

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Source: Access Report

But fundamentally, this is the picture we need to solve

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California Computer Science Standards

Adopted in 2018
Grades K-12
Click this link to access the standards
California Computer Science Statistics

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bit.ly/ccbeRCOE

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Equity

Lack of access and recruitment to computer science courses is an equity issue.

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bit.ly/ccbeRCOE

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“Equity in computer science education does not equate to preparing all students to major in computer science at the post-secondary level or to pursue careers in software engineering or other areas of computing technologies. Rather, computer science education for all ensures each and every student develops foundational conceptual knowledge and proficiency in computer science practices to provide the skills to responsibly and productively participate in a world in which digital technologies are broadly integrated” (Introduction, California Computer Science Standards, 2018).

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CSforCA

CS Equity Guide

For District Leaders, Principals, Teachers, and CS Advocates interested in increasing CS opportunities for all students. This guide, developed by administrators across the state of California, is intended to inform education leaders about how to bring equitable CS into their schools.

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bit.ly/ccbeRCOE