0 Re-imaging the first year of computing

Principles is the 'new' and proposed AP CS course. The Collegeboard, CSTA and lots of other folks are working to develop this curriculum.I found it interesting that they are piloting the curriculum at colleges/universities PRIOR to pilots at high schools. The rationale is that piloting at colleges/universities will show that this is college level material.

Maybe this can be the start of an agreed upon CS0 course for colleges/universities??

Website - www.csprinciples.org

Big Ideas

1. Computing is a creative human activity that engenders innovation and promotes exploration.

2. Abstraction reduces information and detail to focus on concepts relevant to understanding and solving problems.

3. Data and information facilitate the creation of knowledge.

4. Algorithms are tools for developing and expressing solutions to computational problems.

5. Programming is a creative process that produces computational artifacts.

6. Digital devices, systems, and the networks that interconnect them enable and foster computational approaches to solving problems.

7. Computing enables innovation in other fields including science, social science, humanities, arts, medicine, engineering, and business.

Pilot studies
10 colleges universities
5 high schools (possible increase, as many as 10)

Goal: Have this new curriculum taught in 10,000 schools by 2015.

0 Geeks drive girls out of computer science

Here is a message that I posted to the APCS list today:

>>>>>>>
The perspective of a female high school CS teacher:

I find the article a true reflection of my experience as a female in computer science. In Jane Margolis? book, ?Unlocking the Clubhouse? ? she describes that alienation that women feel in CS classrooms and that women are more intrinsically motivated, while men are more competitive and extrinsically motivated. Definitely a good read for any CS educators. You also have to consider that during the ages of 12-16 when students are making decisions and pursuits towards their future careers, they are also struggling with what society expects of them as a male or female. While most men may find it amusing being the minority in a female-dominated environment, most women in a similar situation would find it intimidating.


I don't think that the solution is making CS more attractive to girls, rather make CS (in high schools and college curriculum) RELEVANT to everyone. Personally, I didn't really understand the relevance and applications from most of my CS classes until I was in my senior year and in my MS program!! Of course, I knew that the software programs and websites I used/saw were created by computer scientists; but there is so much more to CS than programming and software engineering. When students understand that what they are learning is the foundation to something bigger, they are more motivated to learn and accomplish more.

I think that from early on, CS students should learn about the applications of computing and specifically, the topics that they are learning. While we are facing challenges in the high school CS community; we can still make the APCS curriculum relevant to everyone. Relevance == Interest Spend the time to find relevant articles and stories that connect all students to computing, whether Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, male or female.

When creating assignments, provide options that cater to all students (not just genders, but ethnicity and interests). For example, instead of the same old boring calculator. Allow the students the option to create a calorie calculator or an interactive score board. Make the assignments personal. Assignments are 10x more interesting when it is something that makes sense.

The first step IS to broaden the image of computing; then we must follow through by creating an inclusive environment. This includes everything from posters on the wall, communication, teaching strategies and study groups. I agree with Michael Trigoboff statement that programming is ?gender-neutral? ? but what matters is how we teach programming. What motivates male students to persevere through more ?pain? and ?banging your head against the wall? than women? What is it that ?hooks? students? My theory is that every student has some ?connection? and that we have to broaden that connection.

0 AP CS: Past, Present & Future Directions

Chris Stephenson, CSTA
www.csta.acm.org

Why a New AP CS course?

• AP enrollment has stayed stagnant over the last ten years
• Compared to other AP disciplines, the female participation is PITIFUL
• African Americans - Enrollment: 17%, APCS exams 3%

We need a more engaging course

• In many states APCS is the only CS course that counts for "anything"
• This isn't just an equity issue, it is a survival issue
• We are failing to engage young women and minority students
• Students are concerned that the APCS class will take their GPA's down
• AP CS is a "gatekeeper" course; perceived to be more difficult than other AP classes
• Designed as a college level course
• Never meant to be the first CS course a student ever takes
• Sets the students up for failure and convinces them CS is not the field for them

Systemic issues

• - unless we increase the number of students taking hs cs, our enrollments will languish at the post-secondary level
• because CS is an elective and not a core course
• - states are increasing the number of math and science credits students must have in order to graduate

Need to prove that CS is relevant

• establish that CS is a science and not a technology
• need to make what we teach connect with kids today
• need a sensible, age level appropriate series of courses that students can take and that colleges can depend upon to be consistent and rigorous

Background

1. last year the college board announced they were eliminating the AP CS AB exam, leaving only the AP CS A exam
2. the AP CS A exam will continued to be reviewed and updated based on these changes and previous issues

Current Players
- AP CS Development Committee: review content and specifications, make suggestios for research studies
- AP CS Development Commission: writing the new AP CS principles course
- Chis Stephenson & Rich Lamb is on this committee (CS Dev Commission); "want a language neutral course"
- AP CS Advisory Committee: advising the commission on the big ideas of the new AP CS Principles course, advising regarding the supporting concepts; providing key feedback


Where is the Commission now

• developed and revised big ideas
• developed and revised key concepts
• developed and revised supporting concepts
• revising skills and practices document

The big ideas (shshhh!)

• Computing is a creative human activity.
• Abstraction is the process of reducing information and details to solve problems.
• Humans use computer programs to manipulate data
• Algorithms are tools for developing and expressing solutions to computational problems
• Programming is a tool for computational problem solving and the exploration and creation of knowledge
• Computer systems and networks facilitate communication and computational problem solving

Jan Cuny (NSF) - Making HS CS work for all students
BPC - Broadening Participation in Computing

Why high school?
1. We need to do much better there.
2. We need to start at high school to do much better elsewhere (eg. college, workplace)

Only 1% of students show up at college stating they want to study computer science
The number of degrees awarded is about equal to the number of students who enter

Why focus on AP?
- Only course that carries college credit?
- Attractive to students & schools
- 2,000 CollegeBoard audited teachers
- Single point of national leverage


2007 Stats about AP CS test takers
14,529 took AP CS A
~204,000 Calc AB
141,321 Bio
96,282 Stats

AP CS had the worst gender balance of any of the AP test
18% CS A
48.7 Calculus
50.2% Statistics

What's wrong with the current AP course?

• doesn't appeal to many students
• inaccessible

Math and Science in US High Schools (NRC< 2002)

AP courses should
- reflect what we know about how students learn
- build students' transferabl, conceptual understanding and inquiry skills
- convey the content and unifying themes

New AP CS course (Gold Standard Course - GSC)

• engaging, inspiring, rigorous
• focused on the fundamental concepts of computing
• target for 9-12
• pilot at the college level 2010
• pilot at the high school level 2011
• test available 2015

HS Computing Curriculum (course sequence)
- Intro Computing (for everyone)
- GSC
- AP CS A (possibly modified)

Goal: have the new curriculum taught in 10,000 schools by 10,000 well prepared teachers by 2015.

CS/10,000 Project

- Curriculum development
- Teacher preparation
* in-service preparation
* pre-service preparation
* ongoing professional development
* entree into schools

Where is CS in STEM? Everywhere!

The time is right. Get OUR foot in the door. There is a lot of talk about STEM education. Be aggressive. "We are not going to have this option again in 5 years."

(Short) Discussion

1. Why was AP CS AB canceled? Not enough students taking the exam.

Another great session!