#CSK8 Podcast - A podcast for computer science educators

In this interview Bryan Brown, we discuss the importance of language in education. In particular, we discuss the role of language in teaching and learning, discursive identity, situated language and learning, the importance of representation in education, the role of language on stress, how smartphones and virtual communication platforms (e.g., Zoom) could change learning, and many other topics relevant to CS education and learning.

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 Bryan introducing himself

01:09 If Bryan were to write a book about his life...

01:33 Something Bryan first believed about education that he no longer believes

02:23 How Bryan became interested in researching the intersections of language and identity

05:27 What is discursive identity?

12:42 Academic speech

13:58 What is situated language and learning?

17:20 What has surprised Bryan about his research?

21:54 Research on language and stress

27:20 How researching discourse has impacted Bryan's teaching

29:48 How Bryan's research impacted his approach to curriculum

30:42 Using cellphones in the classroom

35:43 What Bryan wishes more people understood about his research

36:28 How Bryan engages in deliberate practice with his research and teaching

43:47 How Bryan prevents burnout

45:04 What Byran wishes there was more research on

46:36 How to connect with Bryan

47:07 Outro

This episode is episode two of a miniseries that unpacks Paulo Freire’s (1970) book “Pedagogy of the Oppressed.” This particular episode unpacks chapter 2, which discusses the “banking” approach to education that assumes students are repositories of information, and then proposes a liberatory approach to education that focuses on posing problems that students and teachers collaboratively solve. If you haven’t listened to the discussion on the first chapter, click 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

00:55 What is banking in education?

04:52 How is banking in education a form of oppression?

07:55 What can educators do to prevent banking?

12:30 Posing problems as a teacher-student

14:05 Comparing banking with problem-posing approaches to education

17:20 Lingering questions and thoughts

17:30 I disagree with Freire's assertions that all teaching is positioning students as passive recipients.

18:19 In what ways do CS educators unintentionally fluctuate between a banking approach and a liberatory approach to CS education?

19:25 When is Freire's book and my podcast episodes on each chapter a form of banking and when is it a form of liberation through critical thinking?

20:31 Outro

In this interview with Kristin Stephens-Martinez, we discuss learning CS in large classes (e.g., 200+ students), the winding and challenging journey through education and research, recognizing the importance of representation and providing support for underrepresented identities, the benefits of peer instruction, Kristin’s podcast (CS-Ed Podcast), the disconnect between research on education and practice in the classroom, 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

00:59 Kristin introducing herself

02:45 Personalizing learning in large classes

07:41 How does Kristin personalize assignments in large classes?

10:38 Collaborating with colleagues on assignments

15:18 Kristin's journey into CS education

27:13 Recommendations for improving representation and equity

35:09 What Kristin wishes there was more research on

40:04 Peer-to-peer learning at scale

45:27 What Kristin hopes listeners learn from her own podcast

48:13 What has surprised Kristin about her own podcast

49:53 How Kristin iterates on her teaching ability

58:25 How Kristin prevents burnout

01:08:13 How to connect with Kristin

01:09:19 Outro

This episode is the start of a miniseries that unpacks Paulo Freire’s (1970) book “Pedagogy of the Oppressed.” This particular episode unpacks chapter 1, which discusses how oppressors maintain control over the oppressed. Following unpacking scholarship episodes discuss what this looks like in education and how educators can adopt a “pedagogy of the oppressed” to break cycles of oppression.

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

02:15 Humanization and dehumanization

05:12 False charity

07:19 Flipping oppression

12:11 What can we do about oppression?

18:02 Control

22:20 How can we work toward freedom?

22:47 Lingering questions and thoughts

22:55 What are the intersectionalities of oppressor and oppressed?

24:10 When is someone in CS education simultaneously an oppressor and someone who is oppressed?

24:37 Outro

Building off the previous episode on depression, suicide, and CS education, this episode is a supercut of guests responding to how they take care of themselves and stave off burnout.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

01:02 11 Exploring CS and CT in Pre-K with Gail Lovely

07:10 13 AI4ALL, Curriculum Development, and Gender Discourse with Sarah Judd

09:34 15 Suggestions for Starting or Expanding Your Program with Dianne O'Grady-Cunniff

09:54 17 A Conversation with Professional Programmer and Educator, Dave Briccetti

11:23 19 Advice for School Administrators Interested in CSforALL with Clark Merkley

14:34 23 Project-based Learning in Computer Science with Justin Cannady

19:49 25 Promoting Equity and Activism in Computer Science Education with Kim Wilkens

22:04 27 Accessible CS Education through Evidence-based Programming Languages with Andreas Stefik

25:24 29 Advice for Novice and Expert CS Educators with Jackie Corricelli

27:43 31 Integration through Data Analysis and Implications of CS as a Skill with Anne Gunn

30:26 33 Lessons Learned from CS Professional Development with McKay Perkins

33:07 35 Robotics and Physical Computing with Brenda Bass

34:32 37 Lessons Learned Researching Computational Thinking with Stacie Mason and Peter Rich

37:05 39 Integrating CS and Technology with Laurie “Mrs. Geeky” Green

38:26 41 Discussing Computer Science in K-12 with Shuchi Grover

40:59 43 The Shire as Metaphor for Systemic Racism with Joyce McCall

42:59 45 Education for Liberation with Martin Urbach

48:23 47 From Mathy McMatherson to Codey McCoderson: An interview with Dan Schneider

52:47 What I'm currently doing to prevent burnout

57:34 Outro

Note: If you or anyone you know are experiencing signs of depression or suicidal ideation, please reach out to local healthcare professionals or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

In honor of national suicide prevention week, in this week’s episode I read a paper I wrote on the topic of depression, suicide, and computer science education. This paper is formatted into the following sections: 1) A vignette on my own experiences coping with depression and suicide; 2) Statistics on depression and suicide as it relates to various populations computer science educators work with; 3) A vignette of a computer science educator helping a student through depression and suicidal thoughts; 4) Risk factors and warning signs; 5) Suggestions for providing support; 6) A vignette from a computer science educator's perspective on a student who committed suicide; and 7) Closing thoughts.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

Learn more about National Suicide Prevention Month/Week/Day.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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0:00 Intro

4:38 Vignette 1: Jared

10:45 Statistics on suicide

17:44 Statics on depression

20:30 Vignette 2: Chris and Elliott

28:14 Risk factors and warning signs

32:28 Suggestions for providing support

37:04 Vignette 3: Alex and Sam

40:55 Closing thoughts

In this interview with Dan Schneider, we discuss how Dan transitioned from math education to CS education, designing spaces for educational experiences, suggestions for expanding and diversifying CS programs, how pedagogical approaches evolve over time through experimentation and reflection, the importance of listening to and working with kids one-on-one, 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

01:10 Dan introducing himself

02:33 What is circuit-bending?

03:54 How Dan got into CS education

06:13 Advice for teachers who are new-to-CS

09:39 What Dans classes looked like

12:08 How to approach mandatory vs elective classes

17:05 Teachers often have a negative self image

18:01 The importance of designing a physical learning environment

23:20 How to recruit students

27:03 How Dans teaching changed with remote learning

29:27 What informed Dan's approach to education?

35:34 Something that Dan no longer believes about education

38:26 The importance of listening to students

40:47 How Dan has iterated on his abilities as an educator

47:46 How Dan prevents burnout

52:30 What Dan wishes there was more research on

54:48 Suggestions for improving equity and inclusion in CS

57:28 A question for the field

01:00:10 How to connect with Dan

01:01:44 Outro

In this episode I unpack Goode’s (2008) publication titled “Increasing diversity in K-12 computer science: Strategies from the field," which provides suggestions for educators who are interested in increasing the diversity of their CS classes or programs.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro00:53 Abstract

01:21 My single sentence summary

01:50 Paper introduction03:22 Recruitment

04:57 Culturally-relevant curriculum

06:58 Powerful pedagogy12:07 Role models13:11 Clear pathways in CS14:27 Institutional support17:19 Quick summary

17:53 Lingering questions and thoughts

18:00 How has the author's strategies continued to grow or change since 2008?

18:06 What strategies could we recommend for virtual vs in-person CS education?

18:31 What strategies are missing that you've tried and wished other educators knew more about?

19:08 Outro

In this interview with Martin Urbach, we discuss the importance of intentionality in education, exploring the social/political/historical contexts that can be explored in an educational experience, student choice and agency in the design of a space or experience, how to fight oppressive systems in education from the inside, committing to continuing to learn and grow on a daily basis, 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

01:36 Martin introducing himself

01:58 How Martin got into education activism

07:13 What it looks like with teaching with critical pedagogies

12:16 Surprises that have come up when using these pedagogies

19:37 Something Martin would change about the educational system

24:16 Becoming a co-conspirator

25:35 What educators can do to learn more about systems of oppression

30:05 Advice for educators who are silent about injustices

34:57 What Martin is learning more about with social justice

42:07 What Martin wishes there was more research on that could inform his own practices

46:34 How Martin tries to prevent burnout

52:18 How to connect with Martin

52:44 Outro

In this episode I unpack Goode’s (2010) publication titled “Connecting K-16 curriculum & policy: Making computer science engaging, accessible, and hospitable for underrepresented students” which discusses the development process behind the Exploring Computer Science curriculum, as well as the policy work that occurred in parallel with the the curriculum development.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

00:40 Abstract

00:53 My single sentence summary

01:34 Paper introduction

05:17 What is the Exploring Computer Science curriculum?

08:08 Results

12:18 Impacts of policy

13:26 Final takeaways

16:21 Lingering questions and thoughts

16:28 If you can't afford PD for other educators in your district, how could you use model PDs like ECS or what I've talked about in other episodes to provide PD to your own district?

17:37 How might individual teachers start grassroots CS implementation rather than relying on top down implementation?

19:21 Outro