#CSK8 Podcast - A podcast for computer science educators

In this episode I unpack Kafai and Proctor’s (2021) publication titled “A revaluation of computational thinking in K–12 education: Moving toward computational literacies,” which summarizes three key framings of computational thinking and proposes computational literacies in place of computational thinking.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:20 Abstract

01:09 My single sentence summary

01:58 Paper introduction

02:42 Three framings of computational thinking

03:29 Cognitive framing

04:01 Situated framing

05:31 Critical framing

07:33 Moving toward computational literacies

12:24 Three core questions

15:20 What

17:19 How

19:31 Priorities for K-12 inquiries

20:21 Lingering questions and thoughts

20:27 I like the move away from the word “thinking” to “literacies.”

20:47 What are your thoughts about the term “computational literacies” over “computational thinking?”

21:18 Outro

In this interview with Ashley Waring, we discuss Ashley’s experiences with integrating CS in the classroom, lessons learned providing professional development for new-to-CS educators, what Ashley learned helping write Alabama’s CS standards and providing support after the rollout, language and oppression in standards development, why focusing on a college degree as an end goal might not be as important as focusing on lifelong learning, and more.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:59 An introduction by Ashley

01:12 How Ashley got into CS education

04:47 Why do so many people dabble in CS and then drop it after a while?

06:34 How did Ashley learn CS?

07:43 Something Ashley initially believed about education that no longer believes

09:41 Something that Ashley is good at

11:09 What does an ideal CS environment look like?

12:25 How does Ashley help teachers realize that?

13:31 Advice for educators to learn more about CS

14:22 What Ashley learned working on standards

16:58 When are standards a form of colonization?

22:38 Recommendations for improving equity and inclusion in CS education

32:00 What is holding back educators and what can we do about it?

32:57 How Ashley practices/iterates on her abilities as an educator

37:18 How Ashley tries to prevent burnout

39:16 What Ashley wishes there was more research on

40:33 How to connect with Ashley

41:04 Outro

In this episode I unpack the report titled “2021 state of computer science education: accelerating action through advocacy,” which is an annual report on the state of K-12 CS in the United States that was authored by The Code.org Advocacy Coalition, Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), and the Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance (ECEP).

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:37 Executive summary intro

01:24 My single sentence summary

01:34 Executive summary

03:38 Nine policies to make CS foundational

06:06 Policy and implementation

13:03 Access and participation

20:58 Computer science education policy

25:08 Lingering questions and thoughts

25:14 What data aren’t being explored and what questions aren’t being asked?

25:39 Of 37 states with enrollment data, 4.7% are enrolled in a CS foundational course. What percentage would you be happy with for students taking at least one CS course? Why?

32:48 Outro

In this interview with Jorge Valenzuela, we discuss the importance of engineering in STEM, situating computational thinking within a problem, getting started with computational thinking and computer science, project-based learning, incorporating social and emotional learning (SEL) in the classroom, Jorge’s approach to professional development, and much more.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

01:01 Jorge introducing himself

01:26 If Jorge were to write a story about his life, what would the chapters be?

04:50 What an engaging learning experience looks like

08:32 What is STEM to Jorge?

09:50 Where does CS and CT fit within STEM?

12:38 Where does creative expression fit within problem-solving?

17:52 What Jorge wishes more people understood about CT

19:06 Advice for getting started with CT

22:29 Why it's important to showcase failures as an educator

25:05 What Jorge wishes more educators understood about project-basd learning

26:17 When would (or wouldn't) Jorge encourage project-based learning

29:09 What is social and emotional learning (SEL)?

31:57 How to learn more about SEL

39:38 Jorge's approach to professional development

43:07 What's holding back educators and what can we do about it?

44:58 How Jorge prevents burnout

49:23 How Jorge iterates on his abilities

55:04 What do we need more research on?

58:42 Recommendations for equity and inclusion

01:01:04 How to connect with Jorge

01:01:27 Outro

In this episode I unpack Flapan et al.’s (2021) publication titled “Preparing school leaders to advance equity in computer science education,” which provides some suggestions and resources for preparing administrators for advancing equity work in K-12 CS education.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro00:48 Abstract

02:40 My single sentence summary

03:16 Paper introduction

04:47 Literature review and theoretical framework

05:56 Study context08:01 Research methods08:40 Findings

08:47 CS Equity Guide: Key Features Supporting Leadership Capacity

11:39 Administrator Workshop: Key Features Supporting Leadership Capacity

14:41 Discussion

15:15 Lingering questions and thoughts

15:21 How would the findings have differed if this study was done with administrators in other states?

16:09 Do the 39% of CS educators who don’t think we should discuss equity/inclusion feel that way because equity discussions come across as a form of colonization instead of dialogue à la Freire?

24:52 Outro

In this interview with Mitch Resnick, we discuss misconceptions people have around the four P’s (Projects, Passion, Peers, and Play) in Mitch’s book, encouraging depth of understanding while playing, what has surprised Mitch during his career, encouraging online communication and collaboration without creating artificial engagement, what Mitch wishes we’d see more of and discuss in CS education, our pet peeves with unplugged activities and computational thinking, accounting for survivorship bias with Scratch, expanding our focus on equity and inclusion to include both the “who” and the “how,” the importance of experimenting and learning through play, and much more.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

01:34 Mitch introducing himself

02:06 How Mitch got into CS education

04:16 How Mitch's philosophy of education has evolved

08:06 Why do some teachers push back against the Four Ps?

12:32 How to encourage depth of understanding in CS education

17:12 Some misconceptions about Mitch's works

19:32 What has surprised Mitch in his career

23:00 Encouraging community engagement without mandating it

26:51 How teachers are using Scratch during the pandemic

28:04 What Mitch wishes there was more of in CS education

31:50 Mitch's pet peeves with unplugged lessons and computational thinking

36:13 How Mitch accounts for survivorship bias in Scratch

38:52 If Mitch had a magic wand...

43:16 How Mitch prevents burnout

44:40 How Mitch iterates on his abilities

47:49 Recommendations for improving equity and inclusion

49:50 What Mitch wishes there was more research on

51:46 Something Mitch could use help with from a listener

55:34 What Mitch wishes people wanted to discuss more

58:35 The importance of connecting with other educators

01:00:34 How to connect with Mitch

01:01:27 Outro

In this episode I unpack Khalifa, Gooden, and Davis’ (2016) publication titled “Culturally responsive school leadership: A synthesis of the literature,” which summarizes and synthesizes literature on culturally responsive school leadership as it relates to principals in urban schools.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:31 Abstract

01:25 My single sentence summary

02:38 Paper introduction

07:09 Methods

10:15 Culturally responsive school leadership behaviors

10:42 Critical self awareness

11:22 Culturally responsive curricula and teacher preparation

13:45 Culturally responsive and inclusive school environments

14:10 Engaging students and parents in community contexts

14:36 Summary of behaviors

17:31 Critical self-reflection

19:20 Internalized racism and the normalization of white western epistemologies

20:16 Developing culturally responsive school teachers

21:47 Culturally responsive leadership preparation programs

22:12 Promoting culturally responsive and inclusive school environments

23:15 Engaging students and indigenous community contexts

23:53 Social and cultural capital

24:11 Vingettes of leaders

25:14 Lingering questions and thoughts

25:20 In what ways are you a leader in CS education?

26:13 How might you develop or improve your own culturally responsive leadership style?

26:32 What surprised you about the categories of leadership in this article?

26:48 Outro

In this interview with Leigh Ann DeLyser, we discuss the purpose of CSforALL, considerations for leading people with different visions for (or interests in) CS education, the evolution and future direction of CS education, positive and negative corporate influence on education, thinking through equity from a systems perspective, and much more.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

01:03 An introduction by Leigh Ann

02:56 What's something Leigh Ann no longer believes about education

06:54 What is CSforALL?

09:01 How does CSforALL identify structural issues to solve?

11:42 What values and impacts of CS education resonate with Leigh Ann?

13:50 How do you encourage and supports other values and impacts?

16:12 Leading organizations with diverse perspectives of CS education

22:27 What is SCRIPT?

24:49 What Leigh Ann wishes more people understood about CSforALL

26:42 Imposter syndrome in CS education

28:34 How has CS education evolved over the last decade and where's it going?

35:01 Corporate influence on CS education

37:39 If Leigh Ann had a magic wand

39:16 Recommendations for improving equity and inclusion in CS education

41:48 How Leigh Ann iterates on her own abilities

43:29 How Leigh Ann prevents burnout

48:33 What Leigh Ann wishes there was more researcfh on

51:52 Something a listener could help Leigh Ann with

56:32 How I think CSforALL is doing as an organization

01:00:27 Deeper dive into discussing equity and inclusion

01:09:40 How to connect with Leigh Ann

01:10:22 Outro

In this episode I unpack Kafai et al.’s (2019) publication titled “Stitching the loop with electronic textiles: Promoting equity in high school students’ competencies and perceptions of computer science,” which explores the impact of an electronic textiles unit on high school students’ understandings of computer science.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:42 Abstract

02:07 My single sentence summary

02:44 What are electronic textiles?

03:50 Design

04:34 Background

06:20 Methods

06:46 Findings

10:16 Discussion

10:23 Broadening student perceptions of CS

11:43 Deeping student learning of computer science

12:54 Designing inclusive curriculum activities

13:37 Lingering questions and thoughts

13:44 What kind of potentially inaccurate gender associations and biases do you have with different methods of engaging with computer science?

14:24 How might you incorporate electronic textiles in your classroom or curricula?

15:00 Outro

In this interview with Laura Discenza, we discuss advice for getting started with learning how to teach CS, speaking with arts educators about the intersections of the arts and CS, regularly incorporating the “20% free learning/creating time” into the school day through a “genius hour,” avoiding overly scaffolding learning in the classroom, the importance of having fun with CS in elementary school, and much more.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

01:18 Laura introducing herself

01:36 How Laura got into CS education

04:09 What Laura would recommend for someone who is knew to CS

06:02 What Laura wish she knew when she first got started

08:13 How Laura approaches the intersections of the arts and CS

10:27 What CS and arts educators can learn from each other

12:15 How to speak to arts educators about CS

16:17 What is the Genius Hour?

19:01 How COVID impacted Genius Hour

21:20 Advice for starting a Genius Hour

23:23 How to support students with Genius Hour

28:15 What an ideal learning environment looks like

29:58 What's holding back the field and what can we do about it?

34:03 How Laura iterates on her abilities

35:05 How Laura prevents burnout

38:45 Advice for focusing on equity and inclusion

42:55 What Laura wishes there was more research on

43:39 Something a listener might be able to help Laura with

45:07 How to connect with Laura

46:10 Outro