Abstract
In this paper we share our experience in expanding access to Computer Science (CS) education in Kindergarten through grade 5 (K-5) in the state of New Jersey (NJ) in the USA. Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) with funding from the NJ Department of Education (NJDOE) created the FDU CS Hub to expand access to CS education by building a framework for sustained, evidence based Professional Learning (PL) and outreach activities in CS for K-12 educators and students. The major goal of the Hub is to increase the number of well-prepared educators by providing grade-level, active learning, content and implementation focused PL workshops for teachers from all subject areas over a 13-month period. This plan directly impacted forty-one K-5 teachers and over 4000 students. This impact will be even greater as we maintain a Web-repository of resources including tools, and lesson plans for all to access. Our PL was aimed at alleviating teacher anxiety of content knowledge including hands-on technology with a focus on equitable access and Computer Science for all. Structured support for teachers as well as the involvement of CS under-graduate and graduate students as mentors encouraged students from diverse backgrounds to be engaged in CS activities.
Our project increased the number of K-5 educators prepared to teach CS and expanded equitable access to CS education for students. We collected data from our program and analysis of data suggests that teachers who attended the workshops are prepared to begin teaching and incorporating CS in their classrooms.
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Khreisat, L., Sharma, K., Sinha, N. (2023). Expanding Access to Computer Science Education–The FDU CS Hub. In: Auer, M.E., Pachatz, W., Rüütmann, T. (eds) Learning in the Age of Digital and Green Transition. ICL 2022. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 634. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26190-9_86
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