Diving into a fresh academic year is always exciting. New students, new start, and new ideas can get us all bubbling with things to share. There is much to put in place, and while there may still be some uncertainty in our workspaces, everyone can move forward knowing that we can handle whatever the universe may throw at us! Remembering lessons from the past year, there is a confidence that future pivots can be approached with grace as we embrace what must be done. Always, our best efforts are in supporting the growth of our students. We can make tomorrow (as well as today!) even better.
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SDCOE Computer Science Coordinator
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Ed Tech and CS team up!
The Educational Technology and CS teams at SDCOE are joining forces! While both are very important, it’s critical to remember they are quite different. Watch this space for opportunities to learn in October, November, and beyond! Be sure to check out the Ed Tech website for their offerings.
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Summer of CS Session recordings now available |
We hope you had some great experiences at the Summer of CS this year. However, with so many offerings, there’s no way you can participate in it all. Here’s the good news: Session recordings are now available! Please share these recorded workshops from the 2021 Summer of CS with those who couldn’t attend, such as counselors, K-12 teachers, and administrators.
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This section spotlights CS educators, administrators, and organizations making a difference for their students. If you have a CS hero in your system, tell us about them using this Google form for possible inclusion in a future edition of Bit Blast!.
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Escondido’s Own Erin Duran Featured in Code.org Annual Report |
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Join us in giving a big shout-out to Erin Duran at San Pasqual High School in Escondido Union High School District for being featured in the Code.org Annual Report. Erin has been a long-time advocate for improved access to computer science, and while growing her program at San Pasqual High, she has been an advocate in the wider community. Escondido Union High School District has been involved with the CS-LISTEN research project alongside Center for Research on Educational Equity, Assessment and Teaching Excellence (CREATE) at UC San Diego. Erin and her students helped many of us adults learn better the needs of our students. Keep up the great work, Erin! |
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Coding Rooms Offers Free Tier for Teachers and Students
Coding Rooms is a new platform built specifically for CS teachers in a remote or blended environment. The platform integrates video feeds, compiler sharing, and class management tools all in one product. There is a free teacher and student tier with extra features and content found in the paid tier. Have a look at this exciting new offering.
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State to Offer Funding for CS Educators |
The state budget is calling for $15 million to help in-service teachers get their Supplemental Authorization in Computer Science. This is a welcome move from our legislature and a strong signal that our state is moving forward with equitable CS education. While the exact structure of this funding hasn’t been released yet, keep an eye on this space for further details and assistance with the process. Let’s strive for 6,000 new CS teachers across our state! |
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Computer Science in K-12 is a Solid Reference
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Computer Science in K-12 from Shuchi Grover, lead editor from Stanford University, is an excellent handbook on computer science education. Grover and her team of writers do solid justice to concepts, practices, and pedagogies for CS education at all grade levels. Secondary teachers can brush up on current pedagogical strategies while gaining insight into good practices at the elementary level. Elementary teachers can better learn how the content and processes they teach their students carry on through secondary experiences. Administrators can gain key insights into what good CS teaching looks like and how they can better serve their faculty and students. This book can certainly be read cover to cover but is also accessible as a handbook where the relevant topic of today can be referenced. Check it out! |
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As your daily pace begins to quicken with the dawning of a new school year, we should take time to remind ourselves of our core values. The last few days of summer are important in many different ways. We invite you to remember that a school year is made up of individual days. What are things you can do every day to demonstrate to your students and peers what your core values are? Making those things into a practice can help those demonstrations be a vibrant message to everyone around us. Enjoy the exciting start to your year. Be well and practice every day.
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If you have any questions or comments about the Bit Blast! newsletter, please contact Mark Lantsberger.
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Get up-to-the-minute information about what's happening at SDCOE and in our districts across the county. |
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