On February 22, 2024, the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) San Diego chapter organized an in-person event, bringing together K-20 educators, staff, and community members passionate about computer science education.
Event Overview: Sponsored by UC San Diego CREATE (Code.org Regional Partner) and the VEBA Resource Center, the event aimed to foster collaboration and discussion among educators, furthering the goals of CSTA San Diego in computer science education. The event drew in 30 dedicated Computer Science teachers, district officials, and other community members.
CSTA San Diego continues to focus on key goals, including enhancing computer science education and curriculum in public schools, promoting equity and access to computer science courses, and facilitating connections among computer science educators.
Distinguished Speaker: The highlight of the event was the insightful talk delivered by Dr. Leo Porter on the topic of “Improving Student Success in Computing.” Dr. Porter, known for his innovative use of artificial intelligence (AI) through Microsoft CoPilot in teaching undergraduate Python courses, shared valuable insights on leveraging technology for enhanced learning experiences.
Finding teaching resources with AI: Dr. Beth Simon, a Teaching Professor in the Department of Education Studies and board of CSTA shared ways AI can be used to help support teachers. Beth is currently the Faculty Advisor for Digital Learning in the UCSD Teaching + Learning Commons where she supports faculty and instructional staff in the use of technology to support their educational efforts both on-campus and through MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses).
Resource: Beth Simon (ucsd.edu)
Plagiarism, citations, and copyright in CS: Former CSTA San Diego Board member and high school teacher, Daniel Pearson, presented the issue of plagiarizing in computer science classrooms and how teachers can teach, demonstrate, and instruct students to practice giving credit for work they did not create.
ACM at UC San Diego: The Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) at UC San Diego played a significant role in the event. As the largest members-first tech organization at the university, ACM contributes to the local community by hosting coding workshops for K-12 students. Their outreach team focuses on providing traditionally underrepresented students with opportunities to explore and learn about technology.
Workshop Opportunities: During the event, Dr. Minhtuyen Mai, Academic Coordinator at CREATE, presented exciting upcoming workshop opportunities. These workshops, named Code.org Computer Science Discoveries (CS Discoveries) and Computer Science Principles (CS Principles), will be held in person at the San Diego County of Education, complete with food for the attendees. Additionally, there is an opportunity for educators to engage in AP Computer Science A virtually, with a minimum stipend of $220 per day and the $1500 program fee covered by the Educator Workforce Investment Grant.
- CS Discoveries Summer 2024: Code.org San Diego – CS Discoveries (google.com)
- CS Principles Summer 2024: Code.org San Diego – CS Principles (google.com)
- CS A Summer 2024: Code.org San Diego – Computer Science A (google.com)
Note: To ensure an intimate and effective learning environment, each workshop is limited to 30 spots.
The recent in-person event organized by CSTA San Diego stands as a testament to the dedication of educators, community partners, and organizations in fostering a vibrant computer science education ecosystem.
CSTA San Diego is the local chapter of the International Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), housed inside CREATE.
UC San Diego CREATE Blog 