College of Education Hosts State Computer Science Event
Governor joins speakers, educators and industry professionals to discuss connecting students with computer science learning opportunities
More than 300 teachers and administrators participated in a virtual event at Sacred Heart University in October to gain new insights and strategies for bringing computer science (CS) learning opportunities to Connecticut students.
The virtual Computer Science for Connecticut (CS4CT) also attracted Gov. Ned Lamont and representatives from technology providers Microsoft and Apple.
“We are working with each and every one of you to provide some of the training that you are going to need to get these young people inclined and oriented to computer science,” said Lamont, setting an enthusiastic tone for the day’s events.
Rupendra Paliwal, SHU’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, showed his support as well. “We continue to build our ecosystem with top-notch facilities and programs to support excellence in STEM education. You all are invaluable partners to help us leverage our ecosystem for expanding CS education at all levels,” he said.
The online event highlighted SHU’s partnerships with the Computer Science Teachers Association, the educational advocates of ReadyCT and leading, national organization Code.org. The keynote speaker was Emmanual Schanzer, founder of Bootstrap, a producer of free, open-source framework for creating websites and apps. Guest speakers included Jennifer Michalek, CS lead at the state Department of Education; Jake Baskin, executive director of the national Computer Science Teachers Association; and Ruthe Farmer, chief evangelist for CSforAll. There also were presentations by various national curriculum and technology providers, including Code.org, Girls Who Code, CodeHS and Lego.
Attendees spent the day participating in various workshops and presentations, networking with educators from other parts of the state and strategizing about methods to ensure their K-12 students have the opportunity to learn computer science in school.
Michael Alfano, dean of SHU’s Isabelle Farrington College of Education (FCE), saw the event as a positive reflection on SHU. “Hosting the CS4CT event was a signal to Connecticut’s computer science education community that Sacred Heart University has become the higher education leader in the space,” he said.
The Farrington College of Education is committed to building capacity for CS education, from hosting teacher workshops through Code.org to offering courses toward a CS teaching endorsement, which can be completed in conjunction with degree programs.
The University’s CS education efforts are headed by Darcy Ronan, a faculty member in the FCE, and Cenk Erdil, CS faculty in the Welch College of Business & Technology. The pair led the planning and production of this virtual event.
“It’s inspiring to see the computer science education community in Connecticut grow, with so many connections and intersections among our SHU students, alumni, faculty and K-12 partners,” said Ronan.
“We partner with organizations like CSTA and Code.org, who are committed to the cause like us. SHU acts as a hub for the development of CS education,” said Erdil.
Some of the partners responsible for hosting the event include The Connecticut Education Advocacy Group, ReadyCT and the state’s chapter of the Connecticut Science Teachers Association. SHU is an innovator in CS education and research, with Erdil, Ronan and FCE colleague Bonnie Maur leading the $5.1 million, federally funded Project {FUTURE}, a joint operation with Marquette University in Wisconsin now underway to develop, implement, and study CS-embedded curriculum in elementary schools.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 11% rise in CS-related jobs through 2029. Students who start to learn CS principles when young will be better equipped to be the users and creators of future technologies. Code.org and Project {FUTURE} aim to make coding a “fundamental literacy” in the 21st century, with benefits for student learning and development in many areas.
The CS4CT event was set to take place at Sacred Heart’s West Campus guest house back in March, but it was pushed forward and switched to a virtual event due to COVID-19 protocol.
“Though we would have liked to welcome attendees and guest speakers to our beautiful West Campus, we shared the Pioneer spirit with this group of education innovators nonetheless. It is easy to see SHU’s commitment to CS across the K-20-to-career pipeline,” Ronan said.