Stories

“Just because a person is blind or visually impaired or even if they have multiple disabilities (for example, cerebral palsy, scoliosis, dyslexia, autism, etc.), it doesn’t mean that they are not capable of doing computer science or actively contributing to the world.” 

View CSTA 2021 session recommendations aligned to Standard 1. CS Knowledge and Skills. 

CSTA Equity Fellow and Special Educator at Landmark School Sarah Ciras began teaching computer science to her special education students about seven years ago after a student approached her about learning about the topic. 

I was fortunate to be a part of the early years in the formation of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT). While my focus was in the higher education area, I knew there was another major effort working in the K-12 space. Since I joined the CSTA Board, I have wanted to share the work of the K-12 Alliance with the CSTA community. I am very lucky to have Jannine Fernadez (THANK YOU!) provide insight into resources that are of particular interest to our community.  

As I write this article, our country is facing drastic environmental obstacles (fires in the west, floods in the south), and a worldwide pandemic that is forcing many of our students into virtual or hybrid models of learning across all states. 

During the 2020 CSTA conference, Rafi Santo (CSforALL), Todd Lash (University of Illinois and a 2019-2020 CSTA Equity Fellow) and I were tasked with facilitating a virtual Birds of a Feather session centered around the topic of White Teachers as Anti-Racist Allies in CS Education.

As an educator and mentor in El Paso, Texas, most of my students are from groups underrepresented in tech. Determined to bring Computer Science to each school where I teach, I began looking for opportunities to further my own knowledge, as well as expand access to opportunities for my students.

“These are not normal times” is a phrase that I have constantly heard from many of you, our members of CSTA, and from my friends, peers and colleagues for the past several months. So many different events have and continue to occur that impact our students, teachers, communities, and societies at large: the pandemic, social justice issues and unrest, the political climate, and remote/distance learning and teaching just to name a few.

This blog post is an introduction to a six-part series of posts about supporting children’s Positive Technological Development through hybrid/distanced learning.

As I’m writing this, it’s my last week serving on the board of CSTA. I was first elected to the board in 2014. I was elected as incoming chair in 2016 and served as chair for two years. As chair, I led the search committee which successfully recruited Jake Baskin to become our executive director. 

It’s been six wonderful years. Here are some thoughts about what makes CSTA so great.

WOW! What a conference! Kudos to the CSTA 2020 Conference Committee – Chair Jennifer Smith and her able committee. Their ability to shift from a face to face conference to a virtual one was just amazing! 

For the past few years, it has been exciting to watch CS education explode across the K-12 landscape with headlines like “33 states adopted 57 computer science ed policies since 2018” and “Fifty Nifty: Every state has adopted K-12 CS policy!” popping up in my newsfeed. The future seemed bright as more and more states adopted CS standards for students, even in K-8, which is where my heart lies.

Then, our world turned upside down … what does this mean for the hope of CSforAll in K-8 education?

We’re looking for CS teacher-leaders to participate in a virtual CSforEL Pilot Program.  

I quizzically looked at the book titled C++ for your Plus Plus. I thought to myself, “Why would a book encourage you to get a mediocre grade like a C+?”