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YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Math and Science Teachers Join the Call for Stronger K-12 Computer Science Education

    PRWeb – Thu, Jul 28, 2011

    National Science Teachers Association and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Join Coalition of Leading Industry and Non-Profit Organizations

    Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) July 28, 2011

    Two of the most influential groups in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education community -- National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) -- have joined the Computing in the Core Coalition (CinC). This non-partisan advocacy coalition is working to ensure that the country’s K-12 education system provides students access to computer science education and the opportunities it provides. With the addition of these two leading organizations, CinC now works to represent the concerns of more than 160,000 teachers and looks forward to adding these important voices to the call for stronger K-12 computer science education.

    The Coalition, founded in October 2010, boasts a mixed membership of associations, non-profit organizations and corporations, including Microsoft, Google, SAS, the Association for Computing Machinery, the National Center for Women and Information Technology, and Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology. Since the Coalition’s inception, it has been dedicated to influencing federal and state policy, including the introduction of the Computer Science Education Act, to improve computer science education and support computer science teachers.

    NSTA is the largest professional organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership of approximately 60,000 includes science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in and committed to science education. NCTM is a public voice of mathematics education supporting teachers to ensure equitable mathematics learning of the highest quality for all students. Its membership comprises more than 100,000 teachers from prekindergarten through higher education.


    “We are so pleased to welcome NSTA and NCTM to CinC and know that the mission and goals of the Coalition will benefit from both organizations’ experience and vision,” said Computing in the Core Representative Della Cronin. “Our goal is not only to provide students with opportunities to take rigorous computer science education courses, but also to provide educators with the training and support they need to engage students in this ever-growing field of study.”

    As schools struggle with their many responsibilities and fiscal hardships, few students have the opportunity to take rigorous, engaging computer science courses. Recent research found that roughly two-thirds of the country has few computer science education standards, and most states treat high school computer science courses as an elective course that falls outside of the courses that “count,” according to Running on Empty: The Failure to Teach K–12 Computer Science in the Digital Age a report by Association for Computing Machinery and Computer Science Teachers Association. The country also faces a talent pipeline issue in computing. A recent study compared the number of open technology jobs to the number of computer-related graduates and found that 18 states and Washington, D.C., have fewer qualified graduates than open jobs. Strengthening K-12 computer science education will help the country meet these needs in the long run.

    Media Contact:


    Della Cronin/202.289.3900/della.cronin(at)computinginthecore(dot)org

    About Computing in the Core (CinC)


    Computing in the Core (CinC) is a non-partisan advocacy coalition of associations, corporations, scientific societies, and other non-profits that strive to elevate computer science education to a core academic subject in K-12 education, giving young people the college-and career-readiness skills necessary in a technology-focused society. CinC encourages awareness building activities, policy changes and research at national, state, and local levels to build a strong foundation for the future of computer science instruction. It will engage federal and state policy makers, educators, the public, and the media to meet these goals. To find out more about CinC visit http://www.computinginthecore.org.

    ###

    Della Cronin
    Computing in the Core
    202.289.3900
    Email Information


     

    4 comments

    • Thinkaboutit
      Thinkaboutit  •  10 mths ago
      I have no problem with teachers advocating computer science classes. Computers have really brought us forward with many problem solving solutions. The only thing I would ask is that it is taught with, or after, the basic reading, writing, and math are learned.
    • GM
      GM  •  10 mths ago
      Interesting. As a California credentialed computer teacher I have found myself unemployed and have been teaching in China (PRC) for the last year and will be teaching there next year. Computer education is in fact treated as an elective, except for “keyboarding” read typing.
    • Thomas
      Thomas  •  10 mths ago
      This is an outrage. The education system shouldn't be brainwashing kids with things like computer skills or math or science or writing. They should be studying the Bible and the scientific proof that God created the earth in 6 days- that and playing football.
    • MatthewR
      MatthewR  •  10 mths ago
      Computer science absolutely should form an integral part of education. Computers are an omnipresent part of our lives and should be treated as such, especially for future generations who will never know what it's like not having a cell phone or wireless internet.

      It's never been easy convincing children that those endless waves of math formulas are important, but in computer science, the math is placed in a real world context that lets them see -why- they are important and worth remembering.

      My computer is practically an extension of my brain because I spent most of my childhood doing things like learning how to format floppy discs or installing dot matrix printers. The technology may go obsolete, but the lessons do not.
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