Looking for ways to make your school, district, or state a

National Leader in Computer Science and the CS workforce?  

 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the computer and information technology field is expected to grow by 13% from 2016-2026

— faster than the average growth rate of all occupations! But sadly, only 4.7% of students in the United States are signing up for computer science courses in their schools.

So what is computer science exactly?

According to the University of Maryland, Computer Science is the study of computers and computational systems. Unlike electrical and computer engineers, computer scientists deal mostly with software and software systems; this includes their theory, design, development, and application.

Principal areas of study within Computer Science include artificial intelligence, computer systems and networks, security, database systems, human computer interaction, vision and graphics, numerical analysis, programming languages, software engineering, bioinformatics and theory of computing. Other universities and resources have very similar definitions.

Check out this great Q & A when looking to set up a computer science pathway for schools -

Question:

When looking at your school’s percentage of students signed up for Computer Science courses, do you have a high percentage or, like so many schools across the US, are you struggling to get students to sign up? 

Answer: 

When looking for courses, find ones that are current, contain authentic projects to spark interest, and are engaging with interactive activities to inspire curiosity.

Question:

Are diverse populations signing up for these courses?

Answer:

When looking at content ask: Does the content provide other mediums besides reading to ensure students can learn? Does it provide hands-on learning? Does it showcase diverse populations? Is it project-based so that students can find an authentic purpose to participate?

Question:

Can you find enough staff to teach computer science?

Answer:

Find content that is laid out with easy to follow pacing guides, instructions, and contains an intuitive platform. In this way, even teachers with very little background in computer science can feel comfortable  teaching computer science courses. It is also important to provide high quality professional development that follows Nationwide computer science standards.

Question:

Are the courses offered tied to industry standards and provide career exploration?

Answer:

Gone are the days of textbooks and lectures, especially post-virtual teaching. Students of today demand high quality courses that point them in the direction of post secondary education and careers. It is more important than ever to find content that provides students with authentic experiences and skills that will prepare them for the many computer science careers that are now available.

STEM Fuse would love to assist your school, district, and state with:

• Low cost, up to date and easy to teach courses

• Authentic work based learning projects

• Highly engaging lessons that appeal to all populations of students

• No cost student portfolio management systems to help schools track the skills students are developing in computer science

• High quality, and engaging Computer Science teacher professional development

Interested in more information? Request a demo today! stemfuse.com/request-demo