Google Computer Science for High School open for face-to-face again

Really great news: The Google CS4HS program is again open to face-to-face professional development!  Last year, they only offered MOOC-based PD (see blog post here).  The new call is backed up with research, so that the CS4HS programs are designed to be more effective.  (I suspect that Chris Stephenson’s move to Google had something to do with this…)

Google believes the new Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles (CSP) course being developed by the National Science Foundation and the College Board is key to engaging a more diverse audience of students in computer science. Adoption and exemplary teaching of this course requires a community-wide effort to prepare teachers. To that end, in 2015 the CS4HS program will be providing grants to universities and educational non-profits interested in helping their local teacher community prepare to teach CSP.

Research (Joyce & Showers, 2002; Wiske, Stone, & Levinson, 1993) shows that peer-to-peer professional development and on-going support improve teachers’ abilities to adopt and implement new content and skills. Based on this research Google’s intention in 2015 is to provide funding support for:

• professional development workshops (face to face and online) focused on CSP
• establishment of or work with existing communities of practice (COP) that will support ongoing professional development and advocacy for CSP on an ongoing basis.

Eligibility

• Applicants must satisfy the following criteria in order to be eligible:

• You must be affiliated with a college, university, technical college, community college, or an official non-profit organization focused on education.

• Your workshop must have a clear focus on the College Board’s new AP Computer Science Principles curriculum.

• Your workshop must be followed up with a plan for year-round communities of practice work that supports ongoing PD and advocacy for the Computer Science Principles curriculum.

• Online courses must use Google products for content delivery.

• Online courses must be massive, open, and online; therefore enrollment cannot be capped.

via Google Computer Science for High School.