Tell Achieve that the Next Generation Science Standards Should Include CS
June 22, 2012 at 8:15 am 2 comments
There are draft letters available on the website.
On May 11, the Washington, DC-based group Achieve released its first public draft of the “Next Generation Science Standards” — or NGSS. These standards, coupled with the “Common Core” standards for mathematics are meant to define how states should think about K-12 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Since these standards will ultimately drive what gets taught in science classrooms across the country, the stakes are high.
Computing in the Core (CinC), which runs CSEdWeek, is deeply disappointed that both the math and science standards leave computer science by the wayside. While the math standards are well on their way to being implemented and assessed, Achieve’s new effort on the science standards is still in development, and they need to hear from you about the importance of having real, engaging computer science in these standards.
Entry filed under: Uncategorized. Tags: high school CS, K12, science education.
Computing Ed Research - Guzdial's Take 
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alanone1 | June 22, 2012 at 8:38 am
Hi Mark
If only ACM and CSTA had done a much better job in laying out what computing is all about and will be all about, it would be so much easier to get behind this request.
Two of the biggest poor influences seem to be (a) the idea that “computing is what we generally do today” (false!), and (b) that the layout of what should be done in K-12 should take heed of the poor state of teacher prep (these are supposed to be “standards” not a curriculum plan — to not take into account the serious programming that 4th-6th graders can do is more than just an error).
The thought of enshrining yet another set of poor standards into US education is quite frightening because it encourages the vast majority of people who don’t think things through to take these at face value as “normal”.
Surely the field can do much much better!
Best wishes,
Alan
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In defense of programming for physics and math teachers | Gas station without pumps | July 3, 2013 at 12:14 pm
[…] Why should mathematics or teachers want to use computing? It’s harder (in the sense, that it’s something new to learn/use). And it doesn’t help them with their job. Remember the posts I did on Danny Caballero’s dissertation? Computing does lead to mathematics and physics learning, but different from what currently gets tested on standardized tests. Why should people who make up those tests change? To draw more people into computing? Recall how much luck we had getting CS into the new science education frameworks. […]