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Three Computer Science Courses and Support Network for Your High School Students

Rachel Linehan, Bethlehem High School

Maureen Conway, Mohonasen High School

Rachel Peschieri, Guilderland High School

Robin Flatland, Siena College

Jim Matthews, Siena College

Pauline White, Siena College

Work supported by NSF Grant #1923378

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OUTLINE

Why: CS in high school

What: Three CS courses

Who: Current high school collaborations

Wow: Teacher support

Where: Expansion to other high schools

Research Supported by NSF Grant #1923378

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Why: CS in High School

What percent of students take a high school math course?

What percent of students take a high school science course?

What percent of students take a high school CS course?

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

The STEM problem is in computer science

Jim

It is not just about recruiting majors or correcting the field’s gender imbalance and lack of minorities. Computer science has become an integral part of nearly all STEM jobs. “people need to know what computation can do for them. What are the parts of your job that could be solved computationally? Would you know what kinds of tools to ask for and how to put them together to solve your particular problem?”

--Jan Cuny NSF program officer

Notes from code.org on this slide:

What I’d suggest is that we have a major computer science problem when it comes the alignment between access to K-12 CS science education and opportunities in our modern economy.
This chart shows the projected STEM jobs in our US economy broken out by computing jobs and all other STEM jobs
And this chart shows students graduating with STEM degrees broken out by CS versus all other math/science subjects
These graphs generally speak for themselves – we clearly have a disconnect in our education system

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What: Are the Challenges

Need CS teachers
Need quality CS course offerings
Need software and hardware
Need leadership/commitment
New NYS CS learning standards 2024

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What: Three CS Courses

CS courses for all students

Discovering CS
Intro to CS (dual-enrollment)
Intro to Java Programming (dual-enrollment)

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Discovering CS Course

High school credit course open to students grades 9-12
No experience required
Lab and project based, students express themselves creatively
Currently being offered at 14 high schools
Incorporates concepts, applications, and current events in CS
Students develop web-based portfolio
Course materials with optional activities and teacher’s guide

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Discovering CS Course: Snap! Unit

Block-based programming
Based on Scratch with more advanced programming features
Labs and projects incorporate audio and graphics programming

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Discovering CS Course: Web Unit

HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Labs and projects incorporate audio, images, and video programming
Labs and projects allow students to incorporate their own interests

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Discovering CS Course: Python Unit

Introduction to Python is a good preparation for the CSIS-110 Dual Enrollment Course
Students work to develop algorithmic and problem solving skills
Incorporates interesting programming challenges

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Sample Student Work: Click Alonzo

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Sample Student Work: Polygons

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Sample Student Work: Favorite Recipe

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Sample Student Work: Word Art

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Introduction to Computer Science

Siena College CSIS110 Intro to CS with Python and Multimedia Applications
Has been offered since Fall 2009 at Siena with the multimedia theme
Currently being offered at 15 high schools
Covers both concepts and programming
Similar in spirit to the AP CS Principles course

� (Dual-Enrollment Course)

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CSIS110 - Intro To CS

Conceptual Topics

Algorithms
History of CS
Data representation
Boolean logic & circuits
Hardware
Assembly & machine languages
Operating systems
Artificial intelligence

Python Programming

JES multimedia library
Images
Sounds
Animations

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Logistics

Full year course
Computer (or Chromebook) for each student
Subscription to Replit.com Teams
Labs and programming projects done primarily in class
Curriculum materials

Robin, Rachel L. and Rachel P

At the college, this course is taught in 1 semester and meets 2 hours a week for lecture and 2 hours for lab.

At the HSs, it is spread over a full year and has been taught using both daily and block scheduling.

About 5 years ago, we tried teaching this course at a HSs in half a year, but we found that that is not enough time, just like it is not enough time for AP science courses. Students were completing their programming projects outside of class time, which is a problem for beginner programmers because they have frequent questions.

With a full year, students can do their labs and the majority of their programming projects during class time, which means they have their teacher there when they have questions.

The full year also allows us to do some fun extracurricular things like preparing teams to participate in Siena’s annual high school programming contest.

Because students are doing homework during class time which is individual work, they each need their own computer.

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College Credit Details

Students can take for college credit or just high school credit
Students register after first marking period
$200 tuition fee for 3 credits
Tuition fee waived for students qualifying for free/reduced lunch

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Sample Student Work: Image Sequence

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Sample Student Work: Image Collage

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Sample Student Work: Animations

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Introduction to Java Programming

Siena College CSIS120 Intro to Software Development
Similar to the AP CS A Java course
Originally piloted at Mohonasen High School; this year offered at 5 high schools
Lab and project based

� (Dual-Enrollment Course)

Robin & Maureen

The third course we offer is an introduction to Java programming, similar to the AP CS A course. We are in the process of getting this one off the ground. Mauren piloted it at her high school last year, and this year we have 5 schools offering it. It is lab and projected based, and like our other dual-enrollment course, we provide curriculum materials that teachers can use or adapt for their class.

Different from AP course in following ways (adapted from an email from Pauline):

Of the 10 AP CS A units, CSIS-120 does not address units 9 (inheritance) or 10 (recursion). However, units 9 and 10 are only covered on part 1 of the exam (multiple choice). This means that students only know how to read and evaluate code in these units; students do not have to be able to write or design their own code.

Siena’s CSIS-120 course addresses units 1-8 (i.e., primatives, objects, conditionals, iteration, classes, array, arraylist, & 2D array). Students need to be able to read, write, and design using concepts from all 8 units. Students will do 11 labs and several assignments using these concepts, which is far above the minimum 20 lab hours requirement for AP-CS-A. The CSIS-120 course also addresses these topics not covered in the AP CS-A course.

Use of constants (I couldn't find this in the exam description, but it may be there.)
Evaluating the char datatype
Number bases
Formatted printing
switch statements
Test case creation and driver classes
Enumerated types
Non-square arrays
Basic use of try-catch; throws; throw
More extensive use of the String class, Math class, wrapper classes, and ArrayList class
StringTokenizer, Random, Scanner including keyboard and file processing, PrintWriter, classes

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College Credit Details

Students can take for college credit or just high school credit
Students register after first marking period
$250 tuition fee for 4 credits
Tuition fee waived for students qualifying for free/reduced lunch

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Wow: Teacher Support

Over $2 million in NSF grant funding over last 8 years to support pre-college level CS
Current work supported by CSforAll NSF grant and Siena College

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Wow: Teacher Support

Siena & NSF grant provides

Extended PD experience
Curriculum and assessment materials
“Hot line” support for questions
Opportunities to take CS courses at Siena for free
Funding to attend CS educational conferences
Help recruiting students into CS classes

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Wow: Teacher Support

Vibrant CS educators community

Shared curriculums, PD meetings
CS Teacher Association Chapter
High school programming contest
IMPACT – a day for students to explore CS

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Who: High School Collaborators

Welcomes all high schools
Teacher qualities

Enthusiastic
Enjoys problem solving
Loves to learn
Willing to take risks and learn along with students
CS knowledge???

Talk with us today or anytime if you are interested

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Where: Current HS Collaborations

High School	Year In Program	# Students	Econ. Disad- vantaged
Bethlehem	7	1,635	10%
Mohonasen	6	946	33%
Glens Falls	4	599	43%
Chatham	4	355	37%
Schenectady	3	2,635	83%
Ichabod Crane	3	590	30%
Guilderland	3	1,570	17%
Columbia	3	1,280	21%
Duanesburg	3	361	28%
Schalmont	3	635	26%
Goshen	3	960	28%
Middletown	3	2,157	76%

High School	Year In Program	# Students	Econ. Disad- vantaged
Greenwich	3	500	29%
Berlin	2	413	54%
Troy	2	1,276	68%
Sharon Springs	2	261	62%
Greenville	2	369	37%
Lodi (NJ)	2	917	43%
OESJ	1	285	56%
South Jefferson	1	560	50%
Schoharie	1	384	47%
Broadalbin-Perth	1	543	41%
Fallsburg	1	628	66%

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Expansion

Siena provides release time to sustain and expand our CS in the high school program
Siena and current grant provides free tuition for teachers taking CS courses
Applying for new grant to align these courses with NYS CS learning standards & help schools meet the standards
Talk with us today or anytime if you are interested

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Expansion logistics

Intent to collaborate letter
Letter of agreement
School district responsibilities
Siena responsibilities
Ongoing contact

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Questions