Spring has sprung! As teachers and administrators, many of us are trying to put a bow on the school year and polish the plans to bring us to June. Of course that leads to thinking about learning over the summer and thinking about new steps for the upcoming year as well.
Spring is a great time to be curious about curiosity. How can we foster curiosity in ourselves? How can we foster curiosity in our students and their families? In the newsletter this month you’ll find some offerings which may inspire some deeper thinking and learning. We hope you enjoy it!
If you’d like more up-to-the-minute computer science (CS) news and events, connect with us on Twitter at @CSinSD. You can also find more information on the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) computer science webpage. More direct inquiries can be made to Mark Lantsberger or Maria Hynes. If you have comments or suggestions for future issues, please fill out this Google form.
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SDCOE Computer Science Coordinator
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California Announces Computer Science Supplemental Authorization Incentive Grants
There are several categories of credentialed teachers authorized to teach CS, including multi-subject, math, business, industrial tech, and career technical education in information and communications technologies (CTE-ICT). But, CS could be taught by anyone with a passion for computing and desire to learn! CS, and its many applications, finds its way into the sciences and humanities as well.
You may know a history teacher who’s asking how students can better learn how to use data in their work; or a health teacher who would like their students to be able to create apps that better serve their own communities; or a high school science teacher who wants to teach the third year D-requirement AP CS Principles course; or a STEM teacher on special assignment who knows that CS is a critical foundational learning but isn’t certain they have enough subject knowledge. Who doesn’t know a teacher who’d like to “move to the right” on their salary schedule? These are all potential candidates to help fill the gap of CS capacity and leadership in your district AND they could potentially pick up some computer science sections in your schedule.
Now, California has announced the Computer Science Supplemental Authorization Incentive Grants (CS SAIG). Local educational agencies (LEAs) and districts must apply for the grant funds which will supply a one-to-one dollar match (up to $2,500 — can be in-kind) for a teacher to acquire a CS Supplemental Authorization. The funding is available through June, 2026 and the current application round is due by May 20, 2022. Another application round is likely in coming years. This matching grant is not currently available to teachers who are already authorized to teach computer science (noted above). If you think that you’re ready and have teachers who are the right fit, consider looking over this request for applications. If you’re not sure, feel free to email mark.lantsberger@sdcoe.net to start up a conversation.
Happily, our neighbors at UCSD already have a highly flexible program to support the CS Supplemental Authorization! Led by Dr. Beth Simon, the program fits the needs of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing for authorization as well as the price point set by the CS SAIG. UCSD, in partnership with SDCOE, can provide support for your LEA’s application process. Please fill out this interest form so we can help you ascertain your needs. Other opportunities are formulating, so stay tuned to BitBlast! for updates.
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CSTA offers Asian American and Pacific Islanders Panel |
Computer Science Teachers Association (CTSA) is offering a panel of CS educators/advocates who will share their journey and their CS experience to help dispel some of the myths associated with the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Learn about resources to support celebrating Asian Pacific Heritage Month in May in CS classrooms. Join in on Wednesday, April 27 from 4 to 5 p.m. by registering.
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SCRIPT has arrived in San Diego County!
Does the implementation of computer science in your district feel haphazard sometimes? Do you wish you and your leadership team had some time to really think through making CS a priority? Do you ever wonder if there is somebody who can help facilitate some future planning?
The Strategic CSforALL Resource and Implementation Planning Tool, a.k.a. the SCRIPT, is a framework to guide teams of district administrators, school leaders, and educators through a series of collaborative visioning, self-assessment, and goal-setting exercises to create or expand upon a computer science education implementation plan for their students.
SDCOE can facilitate a multi-day visioning workshop on the SCRIPT when you’re ready and it includes support for a full year! Email your inquiries to Mark Lantsberger to start thinking about how to assemble your team.
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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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The National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), and their regional partner, CREATE at UCSD are pleased to announce this year's winners in the Aspirations in Computing award. The award identifies students for their computing-related achievements and interests and encourages them to pursue their passion in CS. Award recipients are selected based on their aptitude and aspirations in technology and computing, as demonstrated by their computing experience, computing-related activities, leadership experience, tenacity in the face of barriers to access, and plans for post-secondary education in computer science fields. Winners hail from across San Diego County, located from Sweetwater to Oceanside. Congratulations!
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Cutler-Bell Winners Announced
The Association for Computing Machinery and the CSTA announced four high school students were selected from among a pool of graduating high school seniors throughout the U.S. for the ACM/CSTA Cutler-Bell Prize in High School Computing. No students were selected from San Diego County, but 2 recipients are from Northern California! You’ll likely find some great inspiration in the projects they worked on. Read the full article.
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CS foreach from UC San Diego
CS foreach would like to come help you and your students! The nonprofit student organization is focused on increasing access to computer science and technical education to students across San Diego County. They can help through various workshops on topics such as game development, Python, web development, or really anything you think your students would be interested in. They also have mentors ready to meet with your students and help them get started learning computer science or prepare for their college careers.
This organization is run by college students, so they know very well the struggles of learning computer science and other technical fields. With that in mind, they want to be able to give back to the community and help you and your students out in whatever ways they can. Reach out to the group through this form or email csforeach@ucsd.edu.
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This section contains information about CS community groups and their gatherings. If you’d like to share an upcoming event or happening with Bit Blast!, please fill out this Google form.
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TritonHacks 2022 is In-Person!
TritonHacks is a 30-hour high school hackathon hosted at UCSD that provides students with the tools and opportunities to pursue interests in computational fields. They support participants of all skill levels and strongly encourage beginners to participate! Students may register by themselves or as a team of up to four members.
During the event, hackers have access to starter kits — highly extensible projects meant to teach a new topic to jumpstart your ideas. You will be able to join teams of four and collaborate on projects while attending workshops and receiving mentorship from UCSD students and industry professionals.
The event will be hosted at the UCSD Computer Science and Engineering Building on May 21 and 22. Final registration ends April 14. Register your team today!
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CSTA Conference This Summer is On!
As a computer science teacher, you are often the only one in your building, or maybe even in your district. There is a whole community of computer science educators just like you out there. Connect with them at the CSTA 2022 Annual Conference set for July 14-17 in Chicago. Get CSTA conference registration information.
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CSTA San Diego monthly meetings |
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Summer of CS is coming
It’s never too early to think about how you could grow this summer. The Summer of CS returns in June with learning and networking opportunities for teachers, counselors, and administrators. Check the current list of offerings, and select your favorite today.
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Aaron Barnett ICT/Cybersecurity Scholarship Applications
Students who have received their acceptance letter or intend to apply for college in fall 2022 will be eligible to receive scholarships ranging between $500 to $3,000 to pursue higher education in cybersecurity. The foundation is looking for exceptional candidates with a proven academic and achievement record and who will significantly contribute to the broader ICT/cybersecurity global community.
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#IWouldSay — CS Women Lend Their Perspective
A Twitter chat during Women’s History Month brought many professional CS women together in a conversation on advice they’d give their younger selves. Here is a nice overview of what was shared. You can also search #IWouldSay on Twitter. You’ll find some inspiring stories from around the country and certainly things to consider as educators!
Stay Curious! 5 Types of Data Structures You Should Know
Whether you’re an experienced programming teacher or teaching Advanced Placement CS Principles for the first time, it’s important to stay aware of what your students will see in their academic and professional future. This article from Worcester Polytechnic Institute reviews some of the most important and fundamental data structures out there. It may even inspire you for after-the-AP-test projects and learning!
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As spring brings about its sense of renewal, we hope that you find new learning budding forth. For yourself and those you serve, spring can be a time of fresh ideas, new understandings, and impactful experiences. We hope you take some opportunities to inspire curiosity for your students as well as for yourself. Until June, be well!
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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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