Computer Science Education Week (December 5-11, 2010)

The Electronic Village encourages all of our supporters to find a way to get engaged in the upcoming Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek). CSEdWeek 2010 is a call to action to raise awareness about computer science education and computing careers. CSEdWeek is endorsed by the U.S. Congress and designated as December 5-11, 2010 in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Hopper (December 9, 1906).
CSEdWeek aims to:

• Eliminate misconceptions about computer science and computing careers.
• Communicate the endless opportunities for which computer science education prepares students in K-12, higher education and careers.
• Provide information and activities for students, educators, parents, and corporations to advocate for computer science education at all levels.

Why Computer Science?
Computer science is ubiquitous; it touches everyone’s daily lives and plays a critical role in today’s society by driving innovation and economic growth. The field is shaping the future by solving some of the world’s grandest challenges and creating today’s most exciting innovations. Computing related jobs remain strong despite the nation’s extraordinary economic challenges.

Why Computer Science Education?
Computer science education is essential to:

• Expose students to critical thinking and problem solving.
• Instill understanding of computational thinking for success in the digital age.
• Train students for computing careers that are exciting, plentiful and financially rewarding.
• Prepare students to tackle the world’s most challenging problems.

Yet as the role and significance of computing has grown, the teaching of computer science in our K-12 education system has dramatically declined. There is insufficient innovative computing curricula for students at all levels; few students have the opportunity to study computer science in an engaging and rigorous way; there is a lack of ethnic and gender diversity among those who do take computer science courses; and teachers have few opportunities for professional development and certification in computer science education.

Join In! Everyone can participate:

• Take the CSEdWeek pledge! Register your support and share your plans to celebrate at www.computinginthecore.org.
• ‘Like’ CSEdWeek on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CSEdWeek and join the conversation.
• Blog, tweet, and post to spread the word and raise awareness.
• Use the #CSEdWeek hashtag.
• Celebrate CSEdWeek in your BDPA chapter, school, club, or workplace.
• Visit http://www.CSEdWeek.org for other suggested activities and resources.

Sponsors and Partners
CSEdWeek is a collaborative effort of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), National Science Foundation (NSF), Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), National Center for Women & IT (NCWIT), WGBH, Computing Research Association (CRA), Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology (ABI), Microsoft, Google, SAS, Intel, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

CSEdWeek is an activity of Computing in the Core, 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.

Next step is yours.  Will you be engaged with CSEdWeek this year?

Ride the Waves or Drown?

I am reminded each day about the changes that keep rolling over us like waves.

Yesterday we're watching a movie called Edtv where Ed, the video store clerk, agrees to have his life filmed by a camera crew for a tv network. Today I find out that Edtv is no longer a movie. Justin.tv is a reality show that streams over the web, every moment of Justin’s life captured through a camera attached to his hat.

Yesterday we're seeking out Beanie Babies and Tickle Me Elmos as gifts for our children. Today, my kids want to adopt Webkinz -- these lovable plush pets that each come with a unique Secret Code. With it, my kids enter Webkinz World where they care for their virtual pet, answer trivia, earn KinzCash, and play against other kids from all over the world.

Justin.TV and Webkinz are enabled by the explosion of broadband access to the Internet. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was operating the Electronic Village as a bulletin board system with a 24 baud modem. I'm gettin' old!

While all of this tremendous potential is flattening our world and making it possible for the Electronic Village blog to be read by folks from Africa, China, India, Japan as well as the United States ... I worry that there are too many Black children here in America that are missing the ride. There are too many Black children that don't have a computer at home, or access to the Internet at home, or training necessary to use the computer. I worry about the future of the Black community if our children aren't encouraged and nurtured to become part of this brave new world. I do what I can through my work with the BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF). Will it be enough?

Like I said, I am reminded each day about the changes that keep rolling over us like waves. I want our children to ride the waves ... not be drowned by them.