Unlocking Curiosity Through Computer Science for All Students Jane Margolis CSLNet March 16, 2015.

Unlocking Curiosity Through Computer Science for All Students

Jane MargolisCSLNet March 16, 2015

Computer science develops critical thinking, problem solving skills, computational thinking so students are not just users of technology – they

learn to become creators of it.

And, it is across all disciplines

Studying the ocean….

Allowing us all to walk….

Hydrowear

Christina Sirbu display at Microsoft Research

Time Lag: CS on the Margins in Schools

California AP CS Participation

• African Americans:8 females, 21 males (2% of APCS)

(AA are 7% of CA students) • Latinos:

49 females and 181 males (9% of APCS) (Latinos make up 52% of CA students)

• All CA students: 659 females; 2442 males

Not Just about Jobs…Civic Engagement

Research Question:

Why are So Few African-American, Latino/a, and Female High School Students Learning Computer Science?

Talking with a neighbor…..

So, what are some explanations for why so few African-American, Latino/as, and females are learning computer science?

STRUCTURAL INEQUALITIES(CLASSES, TEACHERS)

BIASED BELIEF SYSTEMS

POLICY

INTERLOCKING FORCES

DISPARITIES IN CS EDUCATION:

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES THAT FALL ALONG RACE AND SOCIOECONOMIC LINES

Technology Rich but Curriculum Poor

Basic Rudimentary Skills

SCHOOLS WITH HIGH NUMBERS OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND LATINO STUDENTS

IMAGE of CS BOY WONDER ICONS

“BORN TO DO IT” with “INNATE, NATURAL TALENT”

Claimed and Segregated Spaces

“Preparatory Privilege”

TAKING ACTION: District Partnerships

Computer Science Knowledge for ALL students

INQUIRY-BASED INSTRUCTION• Human Computer

Interaction• Problem Solving • Web Design• Programming • Computing and Data Analysis• Robotics

Minimal Spanning Trees and the Quickest Route to Favorite Places

Using Math and Computing for Computer Visualizations

Cornrow braiding Skateboarding

From Ron Eglash’ Culturally Situated Design Tools

Creativity and Dancing Robots

Encourage students to bring in own identity, interests, creativity, and choice into the classroom

ECS Teachers

Professional

Development

Broadening Participation in Computing

2,000+ students each year in LAUSD, 45% enrolled students are girls

Los Angeles ECS and School Enrollment by Ethnicity

Partners are Critical • SCHOOL DISTRICTS• National Science Foundation• Code.Org• Google, Microsoft• CTE, Calif. Dept of Ed• Mayors, Congresspeople• Non-Profits • CSLnet

ECS National Expansion

California ECS• Los Angeles • Orange County• Santa Clara County• Oakland (1)• San Francisco (conversations)• Sacramento (possible upcoming)

“The fatal drowning rate of African American children ages 5 to 14 is almost three times that of white children in the same age range”

(Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2012)

Beverly Hills

South LA

US Olympic Swim Team

All into the Deep End

www.exploringcs.com

[email protected]

Alliance for California Computing Education for Schools and

Students www.Access-CA.org

HELP DEMOCRATIZE COMPUTER SCIENCE IN CALIFORNIA SCHOOLS!!!