CSEdWeek in Michigan: Bridging Gaps in Computer Science Education

Written by Keith Tramper, Education Technology Consultant

December is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a time to break from our daily routine, be with our loved ones, celebrate holidays, and welcome (or weep) the colder weather. But my favorite part is that it starts with Computer Science Education Week! To observe this year’s CSEdWeek happening December 4-10, millions of people around the globe will engage with the Hour of Code, celebrate leaders in computer science, have thoughtful conversations about technology’s impact on our communities, and more. How will you be celebrating CSEdWeek?

Michigan’s Push for K-12 Computer Science Education

In Michigan, there are over 14,000 job openings in computer science, with an average salary of $95,000. To prepare students for these opportunities, districts across Kent County and the state strive to create K-12 computer science programs. According to the annual State of CS Education report, 55% of public high schools in Michigan offer computer science courses, which is 9% higher than in 2021-22. While these efforts move Michigan in the right direction, we still fall below the national average (57.5%). Preparing all Michigan’s 1.4 million students for computer science requires a commitment beyond the education and industry sectors.

Michigan K-12 Computer Science Standards: Focusing on Impacts of Computing

This year, the folks behind CSEdWeek are focusing on the Impacts of Computing, one of five core concepts in the Michigan K-12 Computer Science Standards. This concept aims to develop students’ understanding of how technology impacts human experiences and how humans affect technology positively and negatively. It is crucial knowledge in our modern world. To see how Impacts of Computing looks in a specific grade level, check out Impacts of Computing with Descriptions by Grade Band.

The K-12 Computer Science Framework encourages educators to consider how technology influences Culture, Social Interactions, Safety, Law, and Ethics. Here’s how they state it.

Culture

Computing influences culture—including belief systems, language, relationships, technology, and institutions—and culture shapes how people engage with and access computing. In early grades, students learn how computing can be helpful and harmful. As they progress, students learn about tradeoffs associated with computing and the potential future impacts of computing on global societies.

Social Interactions

Computing can support new ways of connecting people, communicating information, and expressing ideas. In early grades, students learn that computing can connect people and support interpersonal communication. As they progress, students learn how the social nature of computing affects institutions and careers in various sectors.

Safety, Law and Ethics

Legal and ethical considerations of using computing devices influence behaviors that can affect the safety and security of individuals. In early grades, students learn the fundamentals of digital citizenship and appropriate use of digital media. As they progress, students learn about the legal and ethical issues that shape computing practices.

These three areas of how computing impacts our communities are the foundation of why computer science is essential. With technology integrated into every aspect of our lives, diverse, inclusive, and knowledgeable perspectives minimize the harm and optimize the benefits of new technologies. When design teams hold these perspectives, their technology can bring communities together respectfully, responsibly, and inclusively.

Innovative Ways to Teach Computing:
3 Classroom Sample Lessons

So, how can you help your students develop this knowledge? Learners of all ages can engage with the impacts of computing in many ways. Discussing different technologies’ potential harms and benefits can help build a strong foundation for learners. Over the past few years, I’ve collected a few activities that allow students to engage with these topics in a fun, meaningful, and exciting way. They are a great way to start conversations and develop understanding.

Sample Lesson 1: “Should this Exist?”

Adapted from the work of Dr. Kristen Mattson

Choose a technology:

You can find additional technology inspiration at the Should this Exist podcast; I recommend season 1.

Directions:

Pass out the Should this Exist? note-taking sheet.
Play the podcast episode for students and encourage them to note what they hear, think, and feel.
Once students have listened to the podcast, give them a few minutes to consider why this tool should or should not exist.
Use your favorite discussion protocol for partner, small group, or whole group discussions around the following prompts.

What are the potential benefits of this tool?
What are the potential drawbacks of this tool?
Should this exist?
Would you recommend it to your students? Family? Friends?

Sample Lesson #2: “Up Hill Both Ways in the Snow”

Adapted from Raising Humans in a Digital World by Diana Graber

Choose a technology:

Mirrors: Clippings | Podcast: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify
Novels: Clippings | Podcast: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify
Elevators: Clippings | Podcast: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify
Walkman: Clippings | Podcast: Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify

You can find additional technology inspirations in the Pessimists Archive.

Directions:

Play the podcast episode for students. * Please preview the episode before you play it for students to determine its appropriateness for your learners.
(optional) Have students read the linked “clippings” for the episode.
Once students have finished listening to the podcast, give them a few minutes to consider the following prompts.

Before the adoption of the technology:

How do you imagine life was like before this technology?

During the adoption of the technology:

What were the most promising opportunities for those supportive of the technology?
What were the biggest concerns of those opposed to the technology?

After the adoption of the technology:

How did the technology change society?
How did the technology connect and disconnect people from one another?

4. Use your favorite discussion protocol for partner, small group, or whole group discussions around the prompts.

Lesson Sample #3: “Impacts of AI: Connect to Content Areas”

From AI Snapshots by aiEDU

Use the warm-up activities in aiEDU’s AI Snapshots to address how AI impacts the relationship between humans and technology. Each short activity is aligned to core content areas and has talking points to support student learning.

Here’s an example:

Time is Money

In the days of 280-character tweets and 15-second TikToks, fewer and fewer people are sitting down to read an entire book. But some may still want to enjoy the story of a book even if they need the attention span to read it.

How would you design an AI that can learn to solve this problem using the text of books?

You might have considered…

How do attention spans work?
Who would use this AI?
How would authors and publishers feel about this AI?
What happens to books if an AI can easily communicate the story of a book?
Could this AI compete with other forms of media like podcasts or short articles?

Beyond CSEdWeek: How to Keep Computer Science Education Going

Remember to watch for more ideas and activities from the folks at CSEdWeek! And remember that computer science happens every day; don’t stop at one week! Look for ways that discussions around culture, social interaction, safety, law, and ethics naturally come up or can be integrated into things you’re already doing. You and your students will be more equipped to thrive and influence their communities as a result!

Kent ISD STEAM Network: Join other STEAM educators around West Michigan at the Kent ISD STEAM Network.

Michigan CS PLN: Join leaders in computer science from all over the state for virtual meet-ups. MDE, MiSTEM, and CSTA lead them.

CSTA: The national organization for computer science educators. Membership is free. Remember to sign up for the Michigan chapter.

Sources

https://www.csedweek.org/

https://www.michigan.gov/mde/services/academic-standards/michigan-k-12-computer-science-standards

https://advocacy.code.org/state-handouts/Michigan.pdf

https://k12cs.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/K%E2%80%9312-Computer-Science-Framework.pdf

#CSEdWeek #CSforAll #CSeducation #K12CS #TechEducation #STEMinMichigan #FutureTechLeaders #ImpactsOfComputing #InclusiveCS #EdTech #CSStandards #WeLeadLearning #KentISDpd #Innovation #Learning #Excellence #Relationships #Equity #Partnerships

This blog post was written by Keith Tramper, Education Technology Consultant for Kent ISD and edited by Amanda Walma, T&L Marketing Specialist at Kent ISD.