#CSK8 Podcast - A podcast for computer science educators

In this episode I unpack Wang and Moghadam’s (2017) publication titled “Diversity barriers in K-12 computer science education: Structural and social,” which describes potential structural and social barriers for Black, Hispanic, and female students in K-12 contexts.

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How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:29 Abstract

01:52 Paper introduction

03:56 Methods

04:41 Results: Interest in CS

06:39 Results: Race/ethnicity

12:38 Results: Gender

15:40 Lingering questions and thoughts

15:51 If everyone within a demographic category participates in CS as part of mandatory classes, but only a subset of the demographic chooses to further their learning outside of the class, why is that?

16:55 If non-binary individuals were also included in this survey, how would their results potentially change the rationales for the findings?

17:43 What other ways might we address demographic imbalances in CS education and CS as a field?

18:56 Outro

In this interview with Sofía De Jesús, we discuss Sofía’s book (Applied Computational Thinking with Python: Design algorithmic solutions for complex and challenging real-world problems), the importance of bringing your full self into the classroom, designing for equity and inclusion, working with individuals one-on-one rather than teaching to group averages, problematizing grades in education, collaborating with educators, 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

00:51 Sofía introducing herself

02:13 Sofía's book

04:55 How Sofía got into computer science education

08:49 Two stories about education that continues to impact Sofía

12:36 Why students shouldn't compare themselves with others

19:26 What does this look like in the classroom?

25:17 How striving for equity informs pedagogy

30:29 Grades as an artificial sense of mastery

35:10 What questions do teachers have about not grading

37:39 Responding to people who want grades

43:19 How Sofía tries to iterate on her abilities as a CS educator

48:42 How Sofía tries to prevent burnout

53:36 What Sofía wishes there was more research on

56:43 The importance of collaboration in CS education

01:08:23 How to connect with Sofía

01:08:47 Outro

In this episode I unpack Israel, Lash, Bergeron, and Ray’s publication titled “Planning K-8 computer science through the UDL framework,” which discusses the potential for using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in CS classes.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:19 Abstract

01:32 My single sentence summary

01:52 Paper introduction

02:17 UDL in the context of CS for All

05:10 Supporting teachers in implementing UDL within CS for All

05:18 Professional development

08:43 CS curricula alligned to the UDL framework

09:33 UDL in practice: First steps for teachers

12:14 UDL in practice: The CS for All initiative in New York City

12:44 Lingering questions and thoughts

12:51 What pedagogies align well with UDL?

13:12 What are the potential gaps in UDL that aren’t being discussed in the field?

13:35 How are educators who specialize in other subject areas using UDL in their classes and what can we learn from them?

13:56 How has remote learning improved or exacerbated UDL in your classroom?

14:14 Outro

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

In this episode I unpack Bailenson’s (2021) publication titled “Nonverbal overload: A theoretical argument for the causes of Zoom fatigue,” which describes four potential causes for Zoom fatigue.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:45 Abstract

01:51 My single sentence summary

02:49 Paper introduction

03:12 Eye gaze at a close distance

08:45 Cognitive load

11:39 An all day mirror

13:26 Reduced mobility

16:01 What other strategies do you have for decreasing “Zoom fatigue?”

[This episode was a friendly April Fools prank about a fake paper I created] In this bonus episode I unpack Rollerstein’s (2021) publication titled “‘I can't read, but I can code’: Using puppets to teach C++ to pre-readers: A quasi-experimental critical phenomenological mixed methods case study” which investigated the use of puppets to teach C++ to pre-readers in pre-K CS classes.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

In this interview with Siobahn Grady, we discuss the importance of self care and healthy boundaries, the impact of education, misconceptions and problematic assumptions people make with HBCUs, misconceptions and misunderstandings of being a professor in CS, lessons learned using machine learning to identify authorship of tweets, exploring the implications of social media and technology with students, the intersections of arts and CS, improving equity and inclusion in computing through action, 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

01:00 An introduction by Siobahn

04:44 How Siobahn became the first woman to get a PhD in computer science from her university

07:26 Advice for people who have had their motivation lowered

09:57 How Siobahn prevents burnout

12:46 Something Siobahn changed her mind about with CS education

14:44 Misconceptions people have about HBCUs

16:11 What Siobahn wishes more people understood with HBCUs

18:16 Misconceptions people have about professors of computer science

19:36 What Siobahn has learned researching machine learning

22:57 How researching social media has impacted Siobahn

25:26 What Siobahn wishes more CS educators helped students understand about social media

28:15 How the arts has impacted Siobahn's journey in CS

31:00 How Siobahn practices or improves on her own abilities as a CS educator and scholar

34:35 How to find your passion

36:34 Recommendations for improving equity and inclusion in computer science education

39:35 What Siobahn wishes there was more research on

41:44 What Siobahn would love to collaborate on

42:39 What's holding back computer science and what we can do about it

46:16 How to connect with Siobahn

47:08 Outro

In this episode I unpack Tsan, Boyer, and Lynch’s (2016) publication titled “How early does the CS gender gap emerge? A study of collaborative problem solving in 5th grade computer science,” which investigates the potential impact of gendered groups on the quality of completed Scratch projects in an in-school computer science class for 5th grade students.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:48 Abstract

01:53 My single sentence summary

02:06 Paper introduction

03:19 Related work

04:22 Context

06:33 Results

09:39 Discussion and limitations

12:29 Lingering questions and thoughts

12:34 How might the gender and confidence of a teacher impact learning?

13:32 How would the findings have changed over time?

14:26 How might the results change if we accounted for prior experience?

15:31 How would the results change for trans students?

17:23 Outro

In this panel discussion with Catherine Bornhorst, Jon Stapleton, and Katie Henry, we discuss what rhizomatic learning is and looks like in formalized educational spaces, affordances and constraints of rhizomatic learning, how to support individual students within a group setting, standards and rhizomatic learning, why few people know and use rhizomatic learning approaches, how to advocate for and learn more about rhizomatic learning, 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

00:32 What is rhizomatic learning?

01:40 An introduction by each of the panelists

03:24 What does rhizomatic learning mean to each of the panelists?

07:09 How did the panelists learn about rhizomatic learning?

12:26 What are the affordances of rhizomatic learning?

19:24 What are the constraints of rhizomatic learning?

25:31 Is there a place for standards in rhizomatic learning?

36:03 Why don't enough educators know about rhizomatic learning?

44:11 Why do we wait until the end of education to use rhizomatic approaches?

46:29 How can we help teachers with rhizomatic pedagogies?

52:28 What resources might help someone learn rhizomatic pedagogies?

58:20 What do people misunderstand with rhizomatic learning?

01:05:29 What has been missing from this conversation?

01:07:56 How to connect with each of the panelists

01:08:46 Outro

In this episode I unpack Mellström’s (2009) publication titled “The intersection of gender, race and cultural boundaries, or why is computer science in Malaysia dominated by women?,” which “points to a western bias of gender and technology studies, and argues for cross-cultural work and intersectional understandings including race, class, age and sexuality” (p. 885).

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 Abstract

01:42 Quick summary of the paper and a disclaimer

02:26 Paper introduction

03:46 Expanding our scope of discussion on gender

06:45 Methods

07:03 Quotas, ethnicity and gender

14:19 Lingering questions and thoughts

14:25 In what ways do the demographics in the communities you work with not match the national demographics?

15:51 How can we get to know the kids we worth with by seeking to understand and learn more about their intersectional identities without essentializing students into a particular demographic or group of demographics?

17:27 Outro