Making Computer Science More Inviting: A Look at What Works from Evidence

Lucy Sanders is terrific as always in this NYTimes piece.  I particularly like that the article draws on evidence, which is too rarely used in making CS Ed decisions.

The focus on recruiting and retaining women might increase their numbers but also singles them out, say some critics of programs that change curriculums to attract more women or offer classes specifically for women. Students often say they want to be seen as a computer scientist, not a female computer scientist.

But Ms. Sanders says the American computer science curriculum is in need of a complete overhaul, not just for women.

“I don’t particularly think that the existing computer science curriculum has been effective for anybody,” she said. “It needs to be situated in a real-world or meaningful context so people understand why they’re doing it. That doesn’t make it less rigorous — students learn the same things, but in a different way.”

via Making Computer Science More Inviting: A Look at What Works – NYTimes.com.