Nice CACM piece on K-12 Education Policy
August 26, 2009 at 2:21 pm 3 comments
Cameron Wilson and Peter Harsha have written a nice piece in the September CACM highlighting the challenges in changing K-12 education policy as it relates to computing. They hit on all the big points, from the challenges of getting computing education to “count” for anything in high schools, to teacher certification, to “No Child Left Behind.” Of course, I’m also pleased that “Georgia Computes!” gets highlighted. Recommended for understanding why it’s so hard to get more and better computing education into schools!
Entry filed under: Uncategorized. Tags: CACM, high school CS.
Computing Ed Research - Guzdial's Take 
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Marilyn C. Cole | August 26, 2009 at 4:17 pm
I’ve definitely had trouble trying to find out about certification to teach computer science at the pre-college level. I’m a Georgia resident, same as you. I looked around online some, through Georgia Computes and the CSTA, but am not totally clear what kind of certification is required, though I have seen math certification work. Have you got any pointers for me on where to find anything about specific CS certification, in Georgia specifically?
I very much enjoy this blog. Graham Keith Coleman recommended it to me when he heard about my work with CS education; we’re both old GT students!
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Mark Guzdial | August 26, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Hi Marilyn! Georgia offers an endorsement, not a certification — you can only get an endorsement on top of an existing certification. As far as I know, the programs for gaining that endorsement are still being set up, at Kennesaw and at Columbus State. I believe that there will be some other process (e.g., experience and/or examination) for gaining the endorsement, but I don’t know what that is. As information becomes available, it will probably appear at the Georgia Professional Standards Committee website.
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Marilyn C. Cole | August 26, 2009 at 5:18 pm
Thanks very much! I was able to help teach a pilot introductory CS course last summer to a group of teenagers and now I’ve got the bug. Trying to work it out with the CS PhD I’m in right now to figure out what I really want to do.