In this interview with Abby Funabiki, we discuss the differences between for-profit and nonprofit CS education organizations, the importance and ability for nonprofits to collaborate with others, CS as the new digital divide, how to get started with CS implementation with limited or no extra funding, suggestions and considerations for district-wide implementation, 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 Abby introducing herself

01:23 How Abby got into nonprofit management

02:44 The difference between nonprofit and for profit

06:23 Why focus on nonprofit work in education?

10:16 What it looks like to do nonprofit work in schools

11:51 What districts can do if they don't have money

13:04 How can districts plan for district-wide implementation?

14:03 What questions should administrators ask when considering implementation?

16:00 What have districts tried that didn't work out as planned?

16:56 What questions to ask when implementing CS

18:53 How Abby tries to prevent burnout

21:32 What we need more research on with district-wide implementation

23:22 How I could improve the podcast

24:44 How to connect with Abby

24:53 Outro

In this episode I unpack Regelski’s (2002) publication titled “On ‘methodolatry’ and music teaching as critical and reflective praxis,” which problematizes the lack of philosophy, theory, and professional praxis in music education. Although this article is published in a music education journal, I discuss potential implications for computer science educators.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

01:08 My one sentence summary

01:26 Paper introduction

03:37 Philosophy, theory, and professional praxis

07:45 Training and computer science teaching as a technology or craft

10:03 Relevance of the research base

11:27 Towards critical teaching praxis

12:04 Methodolatry in computer science education

19:12 Empowering critical and reflective teaching praxis

25:23 Action-based computer science curriculum

27:42 Lingering questions and thoughts

27:51 What research, practice, and theories inform your own approach in CS education?

28:39 Outro

In this interview with GT Wrobel, we discuss the importance of understanding your “why” behind pedagogical approaches and curriculum design, the internal tensions that arise when designing curriculum used by people around the world, the potential for standards and assessment to be a form of oppression, how feedback impacts the evolution of a curriculum, considerations when designing culturally relevant curricula that is used around the world, aligning curriculum development with professional development, the importance of taking a break to prevent burnout, where we hope the field goes in the next few years, 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

01:54 GT introducing himself

02:33 How GT got into CS education

06:16 How GT knew he wanted to create curricula

07:58 How GT learned how to teach and write curricula

15:23 Standards as epistemological colonization

26:15 What is an engaging learning experience?

29:29 Feedback when designing curricula at scale

34:40 Designing for culturally-relevant curricula at scale

38:31 If GT could wave a magic wand...

41:25 Aligning curriculum with PD

45:13 Lessons learned developing educational tools

47:14 How GT's industry experience informs his thoughts on education

52:02 Recommendations for equity and inclusion

56:57 How GT and I prevent burnout

01:08:37 What GT wishes there was more research on in education

01:19:35 What I'm excited about in the next five years

01:23:07 Thoughts on acronyms and teaching

01:32:40 How I might better serve the community

01:33:58 How to connect with GT

01:34:38 Outro

In this episode I unpack Jenkins et al.’s (2009) publication titled “Confronting the challenges of participatory culture: Media education for the 21st century,” which summarizes the three challenges in media literacy education and provides several core media literacy skills that can address these challenges.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:41 What is participatory culture?

03:24 What are the benefits/challenges of participatory culture?

06:26 FIve characteristics of participatory culture

10:12 Affinity spaces

13:49 Three core challenges/problems

19:37 What should we teach? Rethinking literacy

25:00 Play

28:30 Simulation

29:46 Performance

30:44 Appropriation

34:03 Multitasking

35:41 Distributed cognition

37:18 Collective intelligence

40:29 Judgment

41:23 Transmedia navigation

42:51 Networking

44:28 Negotiation

45:50 Who should respond?

47:43 Lingering questions and thoughts

47:52 How can we apply the core media literacy skills in the classroom?

49:46 Outro

In this week’s interview with Chris Woods (dailySTEM), we discuss the importance of contextualizing STEM through everyday connections, leveraging student interests, blurring boundaries between subject areas, the affordances and constraints of the acronym STEM, Chris’ new book Daily STEM: How to Create a STEM Culture in your Classrooms & Communities, continuing to learn by asking questions, 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

01:19 Chris introducing himself

01:45 How Chris got into STEM education

03:06 Decontextualized learning

04:00 What kind of problems can be solved with STEM?

06:22 Advice for getting started with STEM education

07:42 Making a connection between at-home and at-school learning

10:24 When should someone not learn STEM?

11:52 How to address siloing in STEM

15:51 Where does computer science fit in STEM?

18:19 Challenging educators to think of STEM as a creative field

21:40 If Chris could wave a magic wand...

24:46 Affordances and constraints of STEM, the acronym

28:16 Chris's book

29:41 Something Chris learned writing the book

31:04 Advice for educators who want to write a book

32:28 How Chris iterates on his abilities as an educator

34:47 How Chris prevents burnout

37:18 Advice for improving equity and inclusion

39:57 What Chris wishes there was more research on

42:34 How to connect with Chris

43:06 Outro

In this episode I unpack Resnick and Rusk’s (2020) publication titled “Coding at a crossroads” which discusses challenges in CS and coding education, and summarizes the four guiding principles that educators can use when engaging in coding practices in their classroom.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:35 My single sentence summary

00:53 Paper intro

02:33 Opportunities and challenges

03:35 Decontextualized learning

04:27 Replication

05:42 Not enough time

07:54 Automated assessments

09:22 Computational fluency

10:50 Four guiding principles

11:21 1: Projects

12:26 2: Passion

13:52 3: Peers

15:31 4: Play

16:48 Putting the Four Ps into practice

17:12 The next decade

19:34 Lingering questions and thoughts

19:40 What principles are missing from the Four Ps of Creative Learning?

20:03 How might we incorporate each of these principles in different learning environments or contexts?

20:31 Outro

In this interview with Lien Diez, we discuss Lien’s work with Georgia Tech’s Constellations Center for Equity in Computing, what CS educators can do to learn more about and incorporate anti-racist practices, the importance of encouraging and developing both students and teachers as leaders, the shifts and pivots in education as a result of COVID, and much more. After listening to this episode, make sure to check out Lien’s podcast, Voices of Innovative Compassionate Experts in Society (VOICES).

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:46 An introduction by Lien

01:58 Lien's CS education journey

06:50 What Constellations strives for

07:48 VOICES for Social Justice Alliance

11:20 Advice that has resonated with Lien

16:29 How to learn more about anti-racist practices

21:33 Advice for helping kids become future leaders

27:16 Advice for CS educators interested in promoting activism and civic engagement

32:42 What recommendations Lien would give to politicians

36:31 Something in education that Lien believed, but no longer believes

41:12 How Lien prevents burnout

46:58 What Lien wishes there was more research on

52:06 How I got into the intersections of music and CS

55:25 How to connect with Lien

55:54 Outro

This episode is the final episode of a miniseries that unpacks Paulo Freire’s (1970) book “Pedagogy of the Oppressed.” This particular episode unpacks chapter 4, which synthesizes the concepts introduced in the previous chapters and discusses the difference between anti-dialogical and dialogical practices in education (and at large). This episode builds off the previous unpacking scholarship episodes on chapter one, chapter two, and chapter three so make sure you listen to those episodes before jumping in here.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

Listen to the episodes on Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:51 Action and reflection

04:38 Characteristics of antidialogical practices

05:11 1) Conquest

06:06 2) Divide and rule

11:56 3) Manipulation

14:51 Cultural invasion

21:53 What are leaders in education?

25:07 How to combat antidialogical practices

25:32 1) Cooperation

26:49 2) Unity for liberation

27:31 3) Organization

30:38 4) Cultural synthesis

32:36 Lingering questions and thoughts

32:50 My biggest question that I've saved for the end is why doesn't the author provide more evidence to support these claims?

34:22 When are/n’t mandatory subjects or standards (e.g., CS) a form of oppression that positions or values one reality over others?

36:25 When we have imbalances among demographics within fields like CS, why don’t we also talk about the demographic imbalances within fields like education?

39:20 Outro

In this interview with Nicki Washington, we discuss the importance of cultural competency, expanding beyond “diversity” by focusing on creating inclusive and equitable environments, learning from people and scholarship outside of the field, lessons learned working with CS educators across the country, lessons learned while teaching during a pandemic, focusing on the humanity in computer science education, and much more. If you haven’t listened to it yet, check out the unpacking scholarship episode that unpacks one of Nicki’s papers.

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 Nicki introducing herself

02:07 How Nicki got into CS education

07:09 How marginalization impacted Nicki's career trajectory

12:05 When twice as good isn't enough

20:36 How to prevent this problem from continuing to happen

26:01 What has surprised Nicki about her research?

31:59 How to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, etc.

37:53 What Nicki has learned working on large projects in education

42:02 Something in education that Nicki changed her mind about

48:55 Multiperspectival approaches in large classes

52:48 How Nicki prevents burnout

57:09 What Nicki wishes there was more research on

01:00:34 What Nicki wishes more people understood about her research

01:05:38 Questions Nicki has for the field

01:07:00 What I could do to improve how I serve the CS community through this podcast

01:12:49 How to connect with Nicki

01:14:17 Outro

This episode is episode three of a miniseries that unpacks Paulo Freire’s (1970) book “Pedagogy of the Oppressed.” This particular episode unpacks chapter 3, which discusses the importance of dialogue when engaging in liberatory practices. This episode builds off the previous unpacking scholarship episodes on chapter one and chapter two, so make sure you listen to those episodes before jumping in here.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

Listen to the episodes on Pedagogy of the Oppressed

Chapter one

Chapter two

Chapter three

Chapter four

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:48 What is naming?

02:08 Countering naming through dialogue

04:40 Trust and dialogue

06:12 Critical thinking and dialogue

07:04 Antidialogical practices in education

09:43 Educators and dialogue

14:07 Example of dialogue in education

17:41 Lingering questions and thoughts

17:54 What's the role of dialogue with artifacts and processes (e.g., through constructionist practices), or dialogue with one's self (e.g., through ipsative practices) in a critical pedagogy?

19:16 When might liberatory practices become a form of epistemological colonization?

20:28 If Freire is arguing against approaches to education that have predetermined destinations or itineraries, what does that say for standards and backwards design models or experience design?

21:30 Outro