Georgia Computes Improving Computer Science Education in Georgia

Georgia Computes! Improving Computer Science Education in Georgia Barbara Ericson Director Computer Science Outreach Institute for Computing Education (ICE) Georgia Institute of Technology http: //coweb. cc. gatech. edu/ice-gt/ ericson@cc. gatech. edu

What is Computer Science? The study of computers and algorithmic processes including their principles, their hardware and software design, their applications, and their impact on society n It is not Keyboarding, Computer Applications, or Educational Technology n

What is Georgia Computes? n A statewide vertical alliance – Georgia Institute of Technology – Georgia Dept of Education – Girl Scout Council of Greater Atlanta, Inc – YWCA Teen Girls in Technology n Funded by a National Science Foundation Broadening Participation in Computing grant

What are the goals? n To increase the number and diversity of students who are interested in computer science in Georgia – increase by 50% the number of high schools offering AP CS in Georgia – Double the percentage of women and underrepresented minorities taking AP CS

Why increase interest? Since 2001 there has been a 60% drop in incoming freshman who plan to major in computer science n A reduction occurred in the number of students who take AP CS in Georgia n – huge decline in African Americans n from 80 in 2001 to 12 in 2007

CS in Crisis n n There will be 1, 000 computer and information related jobs by 2014 We expect to only graduate only enough trained people for 50% of these jobs – the Business Roundtable talked about this shortage n The field was 37% female in 1985 – but only 12% of incoming freshman are female in CS – there have never been very many African Americans or Hispanics in CS

CS is Fundamental! n Computing jobs are among the fastest growing over the next 4 -6 years – Computing + X will grow even faster n Many science and math degrees require knowledge of computing – At Georgia Tech everyone must take and pass an introductory computer science course n CS teaches 21 st century skills – problem solving and working in teams

ICE Efforts n For K-12 educators – helped create the new Georgia Performance Standards in computing and the computing pathway – helped create a CS endorsement – offer 4 one-week summer teacher workshops – offer several one-day teacher workshops during the school year – creating interesting course materials and lesson plans

Computing Pathway Old Georgia Computing Classes ACM Model Curriculum Level II - CS in the Modern World Level III - Computer Science as Analysis and Design Georgia Computing Curriculum Level II - Computing in the Modern World Level III - Beginning Programming Computer Applications IT Foundations Programming and Systems Management Level III - Intermediate Programming Level IV – Topics in Computer Science – including CS AP A and AB

CS Endorsement n Voluntary endorsement – equivalent to a minor in Computer Science Can be added to any existing teaching certificate n Based on a NCTAE endorsement n Existing CS teachers can get the endorsement by submitting a portfolio n

Summer Teacher Workshops n Computing in the Modern World – for teachers with no experience in computer science n Beginning Programming in Java – teaches textual programming by manipulating media n Intermediate Programming in Java – focuses on graphical user interfaces. games, and software engineering n Advanced Placement CS A and AB

Computing in the Modern World

Beginning Prog in Java

Intermediate Prog in Java

AP A and AB

Interesting Course Material n Media Computation n Scratch n Alice and Media Computation n LEGO robots n Pico. Cricket arts and crafts kits – modify pictures and sounds by writing programs in Python and Java – learn computing concepts while creating 2 D animations and games – learn computing concepts while creating 3 D movies and games – use Alice to introduce concepts and use Media Computation to teach textual programming – project ideas – lending library

Media Computation n Created at Georgia Tech by Dr. Mark Guzdial Teaches computing concepts with programs that manipulate media Attracts students to computing and increases the percentage that succeed original sound reversed sound

Scratch n n Free software from MIT Uses drag-anddrop programming Incorporates images and sounds Students can share created projects on the website

Alice n n n Free software from CMU Uses drag-anddrop programming Students can direct 3 D movies and create simple games

Alice and Media Comp n Media Comp is the special effects studio for Alice

LEGO Mindstorms Robots n Teach computing concepts by programming a robot – and working with sensors n n Hands-on and concrete results Robot Competitions – FIRST – Robo. Cup Jr

Pico. Crickets n Developed by a group from MIT – same group that created the programmable brick that the LEGO robots is based on n Arts and crafts for the digital age

Getting Students Interested n Summer Camps since 2004 – in 2008 n n 5 weeks of middle school 3 weeks of high school – we provide seed money and training for other Georgia Universities to start summer camps n n n 3 in 2007 4 in 2008 Girl Scout workshops YWCA Teen Girls in Technology STEP program places CS majors in schools

Middle School Camps Pico. Crickets and Scratch n Alice and LEGO robots n Robo. Cup Jr camp n

High School Camps n Alice, LEGO robots, and Media Computation in Python

Girl Scout Workshops n Started in 2005 – total 190 girls – – Dad and me 2 LEGO robot workshops n 2006 -2007 - total 372 girls n 2007 -2008 – total 1595 girls – Dad and me – 3 LEGO robot workshops – 1 Alice workshop – Dad and Me – Mom and me – 10 4 -hour workshops – LEGO robots, Pico. Crickets, Alice, and Scratch

Dad and Me n Dads camp with their daughters – program a robot to go through a course

Mom and Me n Moms camp with their daughters – do Pico. Cricket activities

Four Hour Workshops

YWCA TGI-Tech n After school program at 4 local middle schools – First LEGO League team

Other Research Activities n n n Attracting African American males to computing by having them be game testers Using social networks to attract students to computing Having students design a chat client

Progress n In 2004 there were 44 AP CS teachers in Georgia – many of these were in private schools n In 2007 -2008 there were 86 AP CS teachers in Georgia – exceeded our goal of a 50% increase – but still less than 25% of all the schools in Georgia

Attracting Students? n Huge growth in our Girl Scout workshops – statistically significant positive changes in attitudes from 4 hour workshops n n There has been in increase in all female FIRST LEGO League teams Students report an increase in interest in computing after the summer camps – And some have become CS undergrads at Georgia Tech n n The percentage of non white and non Asian AP CS takers is 22 -28% The percentage of women taking the AP CS exam is still between 1622%

Barriers to Diversity n Stereotypes n The myth of natural ability n Lack of access and experience n Teachers don't recruit – exclude females, African Americans, Hispanics – one principal at a majority minority school won't offer AP CS because "These kids aren't going to college" – some people just get it – implies others can't learn – digital divide – Sending a letter home doubles class sizes and increases diversity

Future Plans n Apply for a 2 year extension on the NSF BPC grant n Create lesson plans and assessment materials for the new computing pathway using our workshop materials – and possibly 5 additional years after that – started summer 2008 n Recruit teachers from majority minority schools Seed summer camps at high schools n Hold a Robo. Cup Jr regional competition n – gives teachers a reason to practice what they learn in the teacher workshop – should also increase the number of robot teams

Resources n Georgia Computes website – http: //www. cc. gatech. edu/gacomputes n Institute for Computing Education website – http: //coweb. cc. gatech. edu/ice-gt/ n Scratch website – http: //scratch. mit. edu n Alice website – http: //www. alice. org

Resources - Continued n Media Computation website – http: //coweb. cc. gatech. edu/media. Comp-teach n Alice and Media Computation website – http: //home. cc. gatech. edu/Tea. Party n Pico. Cricket website – http: //picocricket. com/ n LEGO education website – http: //www. legoeducation. com/

Funding Sources n National Science Foundation – Broadening Participation in Computing – Course, Curriculum, Laboratory Improvement n n Atlanta Women's Foundation Toyota Foundation Georgia Department of Education Georgia Tech's College of Computing

What can you do? n Make sure that your school is offering computer science – train teachers and counselors n Use an interesting curriculum – that emphasizes problem solving – not just cut and paste (do as I do) n Recruit students for computer science – offer summer camps – do competitions n Companies need to reach out to younger kids – if they want to increase the numbers and the diversity