I enjoyed looking over this list and thought you might, too.
http://www.time.com/time/2006/50coolest/index.html
Though not all pertain to education, there are a few that would offer some great benefits. One is Google Spreadsheets which allows for online spreadsheet collaboration. Another is a neat search engine that flags desirable and undesirable sites based on your preferences called Scandoo. I keep other links of interest on our pilot classroom wiki links page here: http://hcsepilot.wikispaces.com/LINKS in additon to my bookmarks page.
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Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Saturday, August 12, 2006
What if Alabama Led the Way
The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) executive director, Chris Stephenson, recently posted a blog entry regarding Alabama. See link below:
http://blog.acm.org/csta/ See August 8th entry.
or read it here:
(comments below or by Chris Stephenson, Executive Director CSTA)
August 08, 2006
What if Alabama Led the Way?
Last week I spent a great day at the University of Alabama at Birmingham talking to computer science faculty and local high school computing teachers and administrators about working together to improve K-12 computer science education. During what turned out to be a wide ranging discussion, Alabama Teacher of the Year Cameron McKinley asked some interesting questions:
"What if Alabama decided to lead the country in improving K-12 computer science education? Could this happen? What would it mean for the state and its students?"
Our discussions during the day touched on many so called "local issues". Certification for CS teachers in Alabama is a mess. As Amber Wagner explained, there is no certification for computer science, so computer science teachers have to write the praxis exam in an area that has no computer science content. This is a story I am hearing from CSTA members all across the country.
Jeff Gray of the University of Alabama at Birmingham talked about how student misconceptions
about computer science as a discipline and as a career destination are driving students away from computer science at a time when companies cannot find enough qualified workers to fill the jobs available in the computing field.
And we all admitted that computer scientists in general do a terrible job of explaining our field and why it is so exciting. How many student, for example, really understand that the most exciting breakthroughs in the sciences and even in the humanities require computer science expertise? How many students are even aware that computer science makes the gadgets they love possible? Too few!
What would it take for Alabama to address these and other issues and so become a national leader in K-12 computer science education? First it would take vision and committed leadership at the highest political levels. Fortunately Alabama has "an education governor" so that is a good start. Next it would take the commitment of educators on multiple levels. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Computer Science Department is ready. The folks from the Faculties of Education are getting ready. The teachers I met are very ready.
It would take an unwavering long-term commitment to creating a state-wide computer science curriculum and providing the resources to support it. This would require a plan for on-going professional development for all teachers and a campaign to help students understand the opportunities that are available for them in the computing field. These are things that CSTA would be happy to help with.
Business and industry would have to step up, offering financial and other support. Not just the high tech companies, but the industries that hire 80% of the computer science graduates to keep them up and running, such insurance companies, banks, the auto industry, and the health care industry just to name a few.
Of course, something would have to be done to fix the certification mess. And just maybe, teachers would be paid a livable wage.
What kind of place would Alabama be if it did these things? Alabama would be a place where all students have the opportunity to acquire the computing knowledge and skills required to survive and thrive in this new global economy, Alabama's booming high-tech and medical industry would have access to the skilled workers it needs to drive innovation and economic prosperity. And a world of career opportunities would open up for this and future generations.
Wouldn't it be a great thing? I believe that it is a possible thing.
Chris Stephenson
Executive Director
CSTA Tweet
http://blog.acm.org/csta/ See August 8th entry.
or read it here:
(comments below or by Chris Stephenson, Executive Director CSTA)
August 08, 2006
What if Alabama Led the Way?
Last week I spent a great day at the University of Alabama at Birmingham talking to computer science faculty and local high school computing teachers and administrators about working together to improve K-12 computer science education. During what turned out to be a wide ranging discussion, Alabama Teacher of the Year Cameron McKinley asked some interesting questions:
"What if Alabama decided to lead the country in improving K-12 computer science education? Could this happen? What would it mean for the state and its students?"
Our discussions during the day touched on many so called "local issues". Certification for CS teachers in Alabama is a mess. As Amber Wagner explained, there is no certification for computer science, so computer science teachers have to write the praxis exam in an area that has no computer science content. This is a story I am hearing from CSTA members all across the country.
Jeff Gray of the University of Alabama at Birmingham talked about how student misconceptions
about computer science as a discipline and as a career destination are driving students away from computer science at a time when companies cannot find enough qualified workers to fill the jobs available in the computing field.
And we all admitted that computer scientists in general do a terrible job of explaining our field and why it is so exciting. How many student, for example, really understand that the most exciting breakthroughs in the sciences and even in the humanities require computer science expertise? How many students are even aware that computer science makes the gadgets they love possible? Too few!
What would it take for Alabama to address these and other issues and so become a national leader in K-12 computer science education? First it would take vision and committed leadership at the highest political levels. Fortunately Alabama has "an education governor" so that is a good start. Next it would take the commitment of educators on multiple levels. The University of Alabama at Birmingham Computer Science Department is ready. The folks from the Faculties of Education are getting ready. The teachers I met are very ready.
It would take an unwavering long-term commitment to creating a state-wide computer science curriculum and providing the resources to support it. This would require a plan for on-going professional development for all teachers and a campaign to help students understand the opportunities that are available for them in the computing field. These are things that CSTA would be happy to help with.
Business and industry would have to step up, offering financial and other support. Not just the high tech companies, but the industries that hire 80% of the computer science graduates to keep them up and running, such insurance companies, banks, the auto industry, and the health care industry just to name a few.
Of course, something would have to be done to fix the certification mess. And just maybe, teachers would be paid a livable wage.
What kind of place would Alabama be if it did these things? Alabama would be a place where all students have the opportunity to acquire the computing knowledge and skills required to survive and thrive in this new global economy, Alabama's booming high-tech and medical industry would have access to the skilled workers it needs to drive innovation and economic prosperity. And a world of career opportunities would open up for this and future generations.
Wouldn't it be a great thing? I believe that it is a possible thing.
Chris Stephenson
Executive Director
CSTA Tweet
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Top 25 Cities for High Tech Jobs? Montgomery, Alabama!
Forbes.com had some exciting news to report. An August 2006 article reads:
"If you want to find the top-paying jobs in the U.S. tech industry, you may want to look in the obvious places--Montgomery, Ala., Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Fort Smith, Ark., for instance.
Surprised? So were we. But for those looking to make top dollar as programmers, systems engineers and hardware technicians, these seemingly technologically out-of-the-way metros rival better-known high-tech hubs like San Francisco, Boston, New York and Washington D.C., for wages. "
To read the rest of the article, click here: http://www.forbes.com/2006/08/01/technology-careers-jobs_cx_pm_0801techjobs_print.html
Alabama is leading the way in using technology in education with our ACCESS distance learning program, ALEX, Technology in Motion, and many more programs. Visit the Alabama State Department web site for more on our technology initiatives. With the top tech jobs right here at home, we must make sure to continue funding technology in education and supporting innovative initiatives and computer science programs so that we can fill those jobs with Alabama graduates! Tweet
"If you want to find the top-paying jobs in the U.S. tech industry, you may want to look in the obvious places--Montgomery, Ala., Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Fort Smith, Ark., for instance.
Surprised? So were we. But for those looking to make top dollar as programmers, systems engineers and hardware technicians, these seemingly technologically out-of-the-way metros rival better-known high-tech hubs like San Francisco, Boston, New York and Washington D.C., for wages. "
To read the rest of the article, click here: http://www.forbes.com/2006/08/01/technology-careers-jobs_cx_pm_0801techjobs_print.html
Alabama is leading the way in using technology in education with our ACCESS distance learning program, ALEX, Technology in Motion, and many more programs. Visit the Alabama State Department web site for more on our technology initiatives. With the top tech jobs right here at home, we must make sure to continue funding technology in education and supporting innovative initiatives and computer science programs so that we can fill those jobs with Alabama graduates! Tweet
New Teachers-Hoover City Schools-Slides from Speech
I was asked to speak to the new teachers who are joining Hoover City Schools this year. It seems like yesterday that I came to Hoover as a new teacher. In my speech, I stressed the importance of learning to learn. I also promised I would post some of the ideas from the speech. If you go to my web site and click Presentations, you will find a link to a PowerPoint show.
http://www.hoover.k12.al.us/rres/mckinley/mckinleymegabytes.htm
If you did not attend, it might be difficult to follow but you can still use the site links. Tweet
http://www.hoover.k12.al.us/rres/mckinley/mckinleymegabytes.htm
If you did not attend, it might be difficult to follow but you can still use the site links. Tweet
Computer Science Workshop-July 31, 2006
I was pleased to be a part of a Computer Science teachers workshop sponsored by the UAB CIS department. We met Monday, July 31st. The keynote speaker was Chris Stephenson, the Executive Director of The Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). CSTA is a membership organization that supports and promotes the teaching of computer science and other computing disciplines. CSTA provides opportunities for K-12 teachers and students to better understand the computing disciplines and to more successfully prepare themselves to teach and learn. You can read more about CSTA here: http://csta.acm.org/index.html . The number of students entering the Computer Science field is dropping though the job opportunities are growing in this field. We need to make sure students and parents understand the critical need for computer science education. Computer Science is more than just learning office applications, it involves problem solving skills and logic where students can actually be producers of solutions rather than just consumers of information. CSTA has excellent publications available online here: http://csta.acm.org/Publications/Publications.html#dbottom . The results of the UAB workshop will be posted soon on the UAB CIS site: http://www.cis.uab.edu/ . I especially enjoyed seeing the student presentations of the the Alice programming language and the lego robots. My former high school math teacher attended. One of her current students (and my former student) was one of the presenters. It was exciting to see a legacy of lifelong learning continuing. I am also pleased that the students wanted to form a partnership in helping to work with younger students and their teachers over the coming year. It is always rewarding to see students who want to give back and teach others.
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