This article is published in the November 2014 issue.

Computer Science Education Week

By: CRAIn: /

The sixth annual Computer Science Education Week —CSEdWeek for short — is just around the corner! Endorsed by Congress as December 8-14, 2014, in recognition of Rear Admiral Grace Murray Hopper’s birthday (Dec. 9th, 1906) and her many contributions to the field of computer science, CSEdWeek is “a call to action to raise awareness of computer science education and computing careers for students, educators, and the public.”

There are numerous events and activities planned throughout the nation to illustrate how computer science education is essential for all students. It exposes them to critical thinking and problem solving, provides an understanding of computational thinking necessary for success in the digital era, and prepares them to attack the world’s most challenging problems from a computational perspective.

Help us spread the word about CSEdWeek — and computer science education and computing careers more generally:

  • Join the Hour of Code: Engage students of all ages in coding.
  • Create an event for your students and share it on the CS Ed Week Events page to inspire others.
  • Spread the word about computing careers: Visit a school, class or youth group to talk about your career in computing and opportunities in the field; see the guide to youth outreach for technical professionals for some pointers.
  • Host a company tour or have a student shadow you in your job for a day: Share information about your educational and career path, computing career rewards, and how technology is changing the world through your work.
  • Advocate for quality computer science education: Visit your local school board, superintendent, or principal and urge rigorous, engaging computer science classes. Check out code.org and the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) for some talking points.
  • See Exploring Computer Science and AP CS Principles for information on two exciting new high school courses that are scaling nationwide.
  • Contact other groups in your community that reach kids and help them set up computing activities too. See additional resources at CS Ed Week Teacher Resources.

And easiest of all, simply express your support for CSEdWeek by joining the twitter conversation (#CSEdWeek) to make others aware of the importance of Computer Science Education for all students.