52 SoCal Teachers Trained at USC in June 2019 & Are Ready to Add CS Classes in 2019 - 2020:
Full Scholarships for Teacher PD in 2020
Schools know the importance of bringing 21st Century computational thinking and digital equity to their students, especially in districts with underrepresented minority and low-income families. Yet some teachers may lack tech experience or content knowledge in computer science (CS). USC Viterbi K-12 STEM Center has partnered with Code.org to expand access to computer science in Southern California* by offering schools the training teachers need to introduce a CS course in middle and high schools in Fall 2019. Elementary school teachers can start right after completing the Fundamentals training in just one Saturday, find free trainings here. Even teachers with no computer experience have success with Code.org's standards-aligned curriculum. The 52 terrific teachers who just completed the week-long immersion will be coming back each quarter for Saturday workshops. We will have scholarships again for next summer.
See teachers talk about the Code.org training at @uscviterbivast
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Whether teachers are new to computer science (CS) or have experience teaching other CS courses, this program promotes growth by providing space for teachers to become comfortable with curricular materials, CS content, and pedagogy. Learn more about Code.org's Professional Learning training here.
*LAUSD teachers can access this training through LAUSD. Consequently, USC will be working with other SoCal school districts.
Why Schools Need More Quality Computer Science Education?
- Every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science.
- Computer science is about logic, problem solving, collaboration and creativity. Students gain an opportunity to take part in creating technology that will solve problems in their communities and in the world.
- Computer science teaches students foundational 21st-century knowledge — skills that will open doors in every field, in every state.
California
70,520 Open computing jobs
(3.7x the state average demand rate)
4,029 Computer science graduates
California has no dedicated state funding for CS PD and does not require all high schools to offer CS, even though it has K-12 CS curriculum standards. Code.org and USC VAST offer a solution to Southern California school districts, schools, and teachers.
The value of a computer science education
Computing jobs are the #1 source of new wages in the United States
About Code.org
Code.org is a Seattle-based, 501c3 non-profit dedicated to expanding access to computer science and increasing participation by women and underrepresented students of color. Code.org's vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science. Since launching in 2013, Code.org has partnered with public school districts nationwide, helped change policies to expand computer science programs, built innovative curriculum for all levels K-12, and organized the Hour of Code campaign – which has introduced over 100 million students to computer science to date.