Please sign petition to make computer science count as a core subject in California

Debra Richardson, our ECEP Partner in California, sent this to me yesterday.  Please do support this initiative!

Please sign ACCESS’ petition to
George C. Johnson, Chair of University of California Board of Admissions and Relations with Schools;
William Jacob, Chair of UC Academic Senate;
Diana Wright Guerin, Chair of CSU Academic Senate:
Computer science drives job growth and innovation in California.  Help us make computer science count as a core subject requirement—mathematics or science—for admission to UC and CSU campuses.

Please sign the petition and join this campaign: http://chn.ge/1bvfqPx

Full Petition Text:

California is known as a world leader in driving the digital age through computing and the information technology sector. Yet, few K-12 students have access to high-quality computer science education in the state. A key obstacle is that rigorous, college-preparatory computer science courses do not satisfy a core mathematics or science admission requirement for either the University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) system. We are seeking that computer science satisfy a core requirement for college admissions.

Computer science is driving job growth and innovation throughout California’s economy and society.  By 2018, California will need to fill 517,890 computing-related jobs – about half of a total of 1.1 million STEM jobs.  These occupations dominate “help wanted” ads, and computer science is one of the most lucrative and hottest degrees for new college graduates.  Rigorous computer science courses develop students’ computational and critical thinking skills and teach them how to create—not just use—new technologies. This fundamental knowledge is needed to prepare students for the 21st century, regardless of their ultimate field of study or occupation.

The limited access to K-12 computer science education in California creates serious gender and equity issues for underserved minorities. Of all California AP Computer Science test takers in 2010-11, only 21% were female, less than 1% were African-American and only 8% were Latino (despite the fact that Latinos make up the majority of California’s public school students). A study by the Computer Science Teachers Association found that the most important factor in whether young women and students of color choose to take computer science is if it counts towards a high school graduation requirement.

Computer science courses do not currently count towards core high school graduation requirements in California—they are treated as electives. Moreover, neither the University of California (UC) nor the California State University (CSU) campuses count computer science as satisfying a mathematics or science requirement towards admission; at best computer science counts as a college-prep elective. Given other academic demands, most college-bound students don’t afford themselves the time to take computer science, nor do students on a vocational pathway.

We are seeking to count computer science as a core subject requirement—mathematics “C” or science “D”—for admission to UC and CSU, rather than as an elective—“G” credit. This change would not require schools to offer computer science or require all students to study it – that is, high school graduation requirements would not change – but would simply allow computer science courses to satisfy existing core college admissions requirements. This change would, on the other hand, encourage students to take computer science and thereby become prepared with 21st century skills for our knowledge-based economy.

To learn more about making computer science count nationally, visit code.org.
For specific information about why it’s important to make computer science count in California, visit access-ca.org – the Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools.

_____________
Debra Richardson
Professor of Informatics
Founding Dean, Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences
Chair, Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools (ACCESS)
PI, Expanding Computing Education Pathways – California (ECEP-CA)
University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA 92697-3440

Special issue of Journal on Live Coding in Music Education

Live Coding in Music Education – A call for papers

We are excited to announce a call for papers for a special issue of The Journal of Music, Technology & Education, with a deadline of 28 February 2014, for likely publication in July/August 2014. The issue will be guest edited by Professor Andrew R. Brown (Griffith University, Australia), and will address epistemological themes and pedagogical practices related to the use of live coding in formal and informal music education settings.

Live coding involves programming a computer as an explicit onstage performance. In such circumstance, the computer system is the musical instrument, and the practice is often improvisational. Live coding techniques can also be used as a musical prototyping (composition and production) tool with immediate feedback. Live coding can be solo or collaborative and can involve networked performances with other live coders, instrumentalists or vocalists.

Live coding music involves the notation of sonic and musical processes in code. These can describe sound synthesis, rhythmic and harmonic organization, themes and gestures, and control of musical form and structure. Live coding also extends out beyond pure music and sound to the general digital arts, including audiovisual systems, robotics and more.

While live coding can be a virtuosic practice, it is increasingly being used in educational and community arts contexts. In these settings, its focus on immediacy, generative creativity, computational and design thinking, and collaboration are being exploited to engage people with music in a non-traditional way. The inherently digital nature of live coding practices presents opportunities for networked collaborations and online leaning.

This special edition of JMTE will showcase research in live coding activities in educational and community arts settings, to inspire music educators about the possibilities of live coding, to interrogate the epistemological and pedagogical opportunities and challenges.

Topic suggestions include, but are not limited to:

– Live coding ensembles

– Bridging art-science boundaries through live coding

– Exploring music concepts as algorithmic processes

– The blending of composition and performance in live coding practices

– Combining instrument design and use

– Coding as music notational literacy

– Informal learning with live coding

– Integrating live coding practices into formal music educational structures

– Online learning with live coding

Contributors should follow all JMTE author guidelines

(URL http://tinyurl.com/jmte-info) paying particular attention to the word count of between 5,000 and 8,000 words for an article. In addition, please read carefully the information concerning the submission of images.

Submissions should be received by 28 February 2014.  All submissions and queries should be addressed to andrew.r.brown@griffith.edu.au