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computer science

What the New TA-TEKS Mean for Texas

by Kelli Erwin, Ed.D. December 20, 2023

written by Kelli Erwin, Ed.D.

In the ever-evolving world of education, staying ahead of the curve is crucial, especially when it comes to preparing our students for the future. With the 2022 adoption of the TA-TEKS, there is a shift on the horizon for computer science and technology applications education in Texas. Let’s explore what the new Technology Applications Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TA-TEKS) mean for educators, students, and the entire educational landscape.

Understanding Proclamation 2024

The Proclamation 2024 instructional materials adoption marks a significant milestone in Texas education, ushering in a wave of changes that will reshape how computer science and technology applications are taught in schools. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has worked to create a forward-thinking framework of standards that align with the demands of the 21st century.

What’s New in the TA-TEKS

The new TA-TEKS, adopted in 2022, reflect a focus on equipping students with the skills needed to thrive in our increasingly digital world. By emphasizing problem-solving, critical thinking, higher-order thinking, and hands-on experiences, these standards aim to produce students who are not just consumers of technology but innovators and creators.

Broadened Curriculum

The revised TA-TEKS encompass a broader spectrum of topics within computer science. From coding and programming to data analysis and cybersecurity, the curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding, preparing students for a diverse array of future careers. By embedding communication and collaboration skills across the strands, it becomes more evident to teachers and students the importance of these concepts across all subjects and environments.

Real-world Applications

The TA-TEKS strongly emphasize connecting theoretical knowledge with practical, real-world applications. Teachers are encouraged to incorporate projects and activities that mirror the challenges students may face in college or future careers, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation for the subject matter. With the changes in the standards, teachers need additional support to ensure students have not only the knowledge and skills but also the experience to solidify their learning.

Inclusion of Emerging Technologies

Recognizing the rapid pace of technological advancement, the new TA-TEKS standards incorporate emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things. This ensures that students are not only familiar with current technologies but are also prepared for the innovations of tomorrow.

Preparing Teachers for the Change

As Texas educators gear up for this transformative shift, there are several steps they can take to ensure a smooth transition and successful implementation of the new TA-TEKS.

Professional Development Opportunities

Learning.com provides TechApps for Texas, a SBOE-approved curriculum for the updated TA-TEKS. — Screenshot by Emily Horn: Learning.com **TechApps for Texa**s Page

Teachers should actively seek professional development opportunities to familiarize themselves with the updated standards, curriculum, and teaching methodologies. Workshops, webinars, and resources designed specifically to support educators in adapting to the changes are a good place to start. Learning.com, a Platinum Partner to TCEA, will be offering a webinar series that walks educators through our newest solution, TechApps for Texas. TechApps for Texas is a computer science and technology applications curriculum that has been adopted by the Texas SBOE (State Board of Education).

Collaboration and Networking

Building a supportive community of fellow educators is invaluable during times of change. Collaborating with colleagues, attending conferences, and participating in online forums enable teachers to share insights, strategies, and best practices for integrating the new TA-TEKS into their classrooms. TCEA’s annual convention and exposition will be held in Austin in February. It’s a great way to meet fellow educators and build deeper levels of support.

Access to Updated Resources

The Texas State Board of Education has released its official list of adopted instructional materials to support teachers in implementing the new TA-TEKS beginning with the 2024-2025 school year. As the only state-adopted curriculum meeting 100% of the TA-TEKS for all grades K-8, Learning.com is committed to providing educators with the tools they need for success. Take advantage of the available resources, like this guide created by the TEA, to understand the newest TA-TEKS.

Access TEA’s Guide

The TA-TEKS adopted in 2022, and the instructional materials adopted as part of Proclamation 2024 herald an exciting era for computer science and technology applications education in Texas. The new standards reinforce the high value that educators have in shaping the future of their students. By embracing the changes introduced in the new TA-TEKS, teachers can empower their students to become proficient problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and leaders in the digital age. Through collaboration, professional development, and access to cutting-edge resources, Texas educators are well-positioned to navigate this transformative journey and prepare their students for success in the ever-evolving world of technology.

December 20, 2023 4 comments

Coding/Computer Science Cybersecurity Digital Citizenship Digital Literacy

Free K-12 Cyber Workforce Curriculum

by Miguel Guhlin January 24, 2023

written by Miguel Guhlin

Worried about cybersecurity and preparing students for the future workforce? Let’s explore a new resource and some ways to stay up to date.

Preparing the K-12 Workforce

Every day, thousands, if not millions, of people get emails from spammers. Some of the spammers are advertisers, hawking their products. Others offer advertisement-laden livestreams and webinars. Consider this one example on cybersecurity:

Tech workforces are changing fast. Is your workforce keeping up? Join us [date] on LinkedIn Live. Watch thisfuture-ready digital workforce informational webinar. Learn how to evolve your tech workforce to meet the future tech demands your organization needs. You will learn how to make it thrive. You’ll get rich, er capitalize, on your digital tech workforce transformation.

You get the idea. What if there was a way to engage K-12 students and prepare them to be that tech workforce? Let’s explore a new initiative – expanding cybersecurity education nationwide.

Did You Know?

TCEA offers a Cybersecurity for Educators: Data Guardian online, self-paced course. With this course, you can learn the essentials of protecting yourself and confidential data. It’s geared for classroom teachers, district professionals who aren’t cybersecurity experts. You need to know what’s in this course and put it into practice. Don’t be the reason for the next data breach in your organization.

Why Is It Important to Prepare Students?

I attribute my failure to learn how to code to a terrible mathematics program. Who could know that not learning math in middle school would have long-lasting effects? And the sooner we learn how math and coding relate, the better. That failure, whatever the reason, has resulted in a profound gap:

Cyberseek reported there are around 1.1 million people employed in cybersecurity in the United States. Over 700,000 unfilled positions are currently available. Worldwide, the cyber workforce shortfall is approximately 3.5 million people. (source)

A question many Americans ask is, “How do we prepare our children for a future in information security?”

Preparing Our Children to Be Secure

Getting our children ready means asking, “What do they need to know now to be ready for the future?” To find that out, check with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Jen Easterly, CISA Director, says that the K-12 cybersecurity education program is going nationwide. The program began in Louisiana through a grant and focused on high school students.

The CYBER.ORG Range is accessible to all K-12 students but is primarily geared toward high school students interested in learning core cybersecurity concepts and curriculum.

With over 750,000 open cybersecurity positions and continued cyberattacks on both the public and private sectors, it is more critical than ever to expand access to cybersecurity education.
Source: Cyber Innovation Center

The goal of CYBER.org is to empower educators to teach cyber with confidence. This should result in students with the skills and passion needed to succeed.

Free Cyber Curricula

You can find free cyber curricula on CYBER.org, including lessons, for use in K-12 settings. Some examples of the resources found on the site with a quick search include:

There’s a lot more content, organized by grade level and subject, that you can see. Subjects include:

Career & Technical Education
Computer Science
Cybersecurity
Engineering
Humanities
Math
Robotics and Coding
Science

These materials also encompass K-12 grades, so there is a wealth of information. Entry points abound for any educator who is seeking to prepare students for the future.

Engaging Students Early

One of the intriguing resources available via CYBER.org? Coding Fundamentals.

Coding Fundamentals introduces students to the foundational concepts of coding and cybersecurity. It does this through hands-on lessons. Students at differing grade levels learn the fundamentals in one of two ways: Microsoft’s MakeCode block-based language and/or through Python text-based programming.

Cybersecurity lessons include brute force attacks, dictionary attacks, and on-path attacks (formerly known as man-in-the-middle attacks).

MakeCode Block is recommended for grades 4-8 (beginners). Python is recommended for grades 8-12 (intermediate).

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Get your students, and your own children, learning the fundamentals.

Feature Image Source

Screenshot by author

January 24, 2023 0 comment

Coding/Computer Science Robotics

Qualities to Look for in an Online Robotics Platform

by Bryan Harston, J.D., Guest Author February 5, 2021

written by Bryan Harston, J.D., Guest Author

Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD’s only middle school STEM Academy, located at Central Junior High School, offers a seventh-grade introductory robotics class. The one-semester class is available to aspiring young engineers in both the fall and spring semesters. Under normal circumstances, the compressed single-semester time frame doesn’t pose a hardship. But when our would-be spring break devolved into a rest-of-the-semester shutdown in 2020, I was faced with some interesting constraints on my ability to teach robotics.

Suddenly Remote

When school shutdowns became a thing, my 75 robotics students had already spent eight weeks learning to program their LEGO EV3 robots. But without a robot in each student’s hands, there was no way to continue building on that progress. While my classroom permits a 1:1 student-to-robot ratio in the classroom, we don’t have the 75+ robots I’d have needed for my kids to continue their learning from home.

As you might guess, I started searching online for robotics education solutions. There I found a mix of overly simplistic programs (which would have represented a step backward for my students), hardware-dependent options (which won’t work in a school district where students use a mix of Windows, Mac, and Chromebook devices at home), and some that were prohibitively expensive. But when I discovered the CoderZ virtual robotics platform, I found a viable way to extend hands-on robotics and coding education to my suddenly remote students.

To schools in a similar predicament, or those looking to add coding and robotics to their curriculums in the months to come, here are seven important qualities to look for in an online coding platform:

Technology compatibility. A common issue with computer-based robotics training is hardware compatibility. Before adopting a solution, be sure it works with all types of hardware your students use. (If you’re like us — a district in which students use lots of different platforms — your options may be limited.) A fully web-based platform is compatible with any web-connected computer, including Chromebooks.
Relevance of content. There are lots of well-known, highly respected platforms that teach coding to kids of all ages which is terrific. But robotics is much more than coding. It involves aspects of mechanical engineering, physics, and logical problem solving in 3D space. If you’re trying to teach students to use robots, your online platform needs to teach robotics, not just coding.
Quality visuals. There are actually quite a few providers of online robotics curricula. But in my research, many options showed extremely low-quality, low-detail images. (One popular platform shows a top-down view of a white hexagon traveling around an all-white surface. Not exactly exciting to look at.) When I came across the online platform, the first thing that caught my eye was a great-looking, accurately rendered 3D model of a LEGO EV3 on the screen. That stopped me in my tracks. The platform incorporates a full-motion 3D simulation — in real time — of the LEGO EV3 robot running each student’s code as soon as they click “Run.”
Student engagement. Online instruction makes it all too easy for individual students to “check out” mentally. Just because I see a student looking at the screen during class, it doesn’t mean their mind isn’t a million miles away. For any online instruction, engagement is key. Our new platform has a fun, almost game-like environment. It’s visually engaging, cleverly designed, and realistic; it really grabs – and holds – my students’ attention. It’s the next-best thing to handing them an actual robot.
Self-paced curriculum. Depending on the district, many teachers need online instruction platforms that support both synchronous and asynchronous learning. Self-paced curricula are ideal for that. What’s more, self-paced progression is extremely useful for adapting instruction to those who learn differently. Moreover, platforms that require an entire classroom to work at a single, common pace can quickly feel restrictive (read: boring) for more advanced students. The option to move quickly from one robotics mission to the next keeps even the most advanced students busy and engaged.
Industry and educational partnerships. Developing and maintaining a solid curriculum means working with organizations and institutions to ensure a program meets educational standards and remains content-relevant as technology progresses. CoderZ has partnered with Amazon Future Engineers, a philanthropic initiative that promotes STEM, coding, and robotics in education. I find it reassuring to know that the curriculum is constantly evolving to keep pace with robotics technology in industry.
Price breaks and free offers. Through its outreach program, our platform made its virtual robotics platform available — at no cost — to schools through the end of the ’19-’20 school year. So, while I knew I’d found the kind of platform I needed to maintain continuity of learning, cost really was the deciding factor for us. When our schools closed, so did district purchasing. Yet I was able to immediately adopt a tool that I could start using at once, at no cost, and that would work for all my students (regardless of what type of computing hardware they had at home).

Back in Session with Robotics

Our district is now back in session and offering hybrid instruction for the 2020-21 school year. This underscores the importance of easy, equitable access to a learning environment made for robotics. As one of millions of teachers looking for the best way to serve students during these challenging times, I’m working daily to maintain engagement and drive learning. Our choice of an online robotics platform means that my students and I can move forward with confidence.

Photo by Free Creative Stuff from Pexels

February 5, 2021 0 comment

Coding/Computer Science Robotics STEM/STEAM

Teaching Students About Artificial Intelligence

by Dr. Bruce Ellis May 27, 2020

written by Dr. Bruce Ellis

Though the term “artificial intelligence” (AI) can be traced back to the 1950’s, it really didn’t start getting much traction until recently. Before we talk about ways that you can teach students about AI, let’s define what artificial intelligence is.

Though there’s not 100% agreement on what artificial intelligence is and isn’t, according to Lexico it is, “The theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and translation between languages.” Siw Grinaker gives several clear examples of artificial intelligence in real life on her blog post. And, though more narrative than definitive, Josh Worth, via his post Stop Calling it Artificial Intelligence, tries to bring more clarity as to what it is not.

All that being said, AI is something that is impacting jobs right now and will have a greater impact on our students’ lives. As such, it is important to help them understand more about artificial intelligence so they can better prepare for the job market – regardless of whether they will be working on the back end of designing/supporting artificial intelligence or on the front end of deploying and making use of AI. Here are a few resources that I gathered for you to get you started in having a more intentional discussion about artificial intelligence with your students.

Bingo Game to Learn about Artificial Intelligence

Blakeley H. Payne created a bingo game to help students learn more about artificial intelligence. Reading from the answer sheet, the teacher reads a data set and a prediction while the students try to find the task that is performed on their bingo sheet; students then write down the data set and prediction in the box corresponding to the task they believe is referenced.

You can broaden the information by using the curriculum that has been created and provided by MIT: An Ethics of Artificial Intelligence Curriculum for Middle School Students.

Three Unplugged Activities for Teaching about Artificial Intelligence

ISTE provides three activities for helping students to learn about AI using offline means. The first activity references students’ knowledge of playing Tic-Tac-Toe, the second activity includes mimicking the Turing Machine in which students determine if a given answer to a question is a computer or person, and the third activity focuses on facial recognition. You can find the activities here.

Google AI Experiments

Google AI Experiments has a wide variety of interesting tests that you can read about and participate in. Here are few that I recommend you share with your students as you discuss how AI is involved and what it is doing on the back end:

Teachable Machine – A fast, easy way to create machine learning models – no coding required.
Quick, Draw! – A game where a neural net tries to guess what you’re drawing.
Semi-Conductor – Conduct your own orchestra in the browser by moving your arms.
Shadow Art – Try your hands at the ancient art of shadow puppetry with a little help from AI.

Akinator

This online version of 20 Questions is a fun game for students to play to see if they can stump the computer. After choosing a character, object, or animal, students being answering questions with Yes, No, I don’t know, Probably, and Probably not. After 20 questions, Akinator will guess what you were thinking of.

There are plenty more lessons and activities scattered across the Internet. If we didn’t include an activity you’ve used with your students, be sure to share it with us in the comments below!

May 27, 2020 0 comment

Advocacy Coding/Computer Science

AP and IB Computer Science Credits

by Jennifer Bergland November 21, 2019

written by Jennifer Bergland

As districts are creating their course selection sheets for their secondary students, some questions surrounding the actions by the State Board of Education are circulating among districts. At the center of the conversation is the fact that completion of AP Computer Science A now receives two credits. Some districts are interpreting this to mean that AP CS A must be scheduled for a two-hour block instead of the traditional one hour, while others are viewing this as optional. Which is it?

Background

For years, AP Computer Science A counted as an elective or as a math credit. If the student needed an advanced math credit, they could use AP CS A to satisfy this requirement. If they already had all of their required math credits, then it would count as an elective.

In 2016, as a result of HB 5 passed in the 83rd Texas Legislative session, the SBOE approved three computer science courses to satisfy the languages other than English credit. These courses were:

Computer Science I
Computer Science II
Computer Science III

The board did not include AP Computer Science A because it had already been designated as a math or an elective credit. This inhibited some students from taking advantage of the provision in HB 5 that allowed students to substitute two computer programming courses for their LOTE credits. Many districts did not offer Computer Science II. Instead they offered CS I and AP CS A as the second course. This meant that students who did not want to take an AP course, but were enrolled in districts that only offered AP CS A as the second course in the sequence, were not able to substitute two computer programming courses for their LOTE credits as specified in HB 5.

In April of 2018, the SBOE expanded the list of courses that could count as a computer programming language that would meet the languages other than English requirement. The rule went into effect on June 2018. The courses that satisfy this option are:

Computer Science I
Computer Science II
Computer Science III
AP Computer Science Principles
AP Computer Science A
International Baccalaureate Computer Science Standard Level
International Baccalaureate Computer Science Higher Level

In addition, the SBOE made some changes that affected the IB and AP computer science courses. Beginning with the 2018-2019 academic school year, students shall be awarded two credits for the successful completion of AP CS A and two credits for the completion of IB Computer Science Higher Level. The board also adopted a rule that a district shall allow a student who successfully completes AP Computer Science A or IB Computer Science High Level to satisfy both one advanced math requirement and one language other than English requirement (TAC 74.11(k)). This rule when into effect on August 27, 2018.

PEIMS

On August 1, 2018 TEA posted the following PEIMS numbers for these courses. Note that for each course there are two PEIMS numbers:

Implementation of These Computer Science Credits

According to the SBOE rules, districts do not have an option as to whether they give one or two credits for these two courses. However, they do have the option to how much time is necessary to learn the standards. The education code stipulates that districts are required to provide sufficient time for teachers to teach and for students to learn the content of a course. This is a local decision. If your students were able to master the standards in one period a day in prior years, there is no need to increase the seat time.

lt is important to note the reason the SBOE decided to provide two credits for AP CS. It now counts for both an advanced math credit and a LOTE credit. When the SBOE was deliberating this issue, the rationale they used for making this change, pivoted on this question: If a course had enough content to count as a math credit or a LOTE credit, then shouldn’t a student be given both. It is one course that satisfies both an advanced math AND a LOTE credit. If a student does not need one or both of these graduation requirements, then AP CS A counts as two elective credits.

If you or your district has any questions, contact the Curriculum Standards and Student Support Division of the Texas Education Agency at curriculum@tea.texas.gov.

Photo of computer screen with code by Sai Kiran Anagani on Unsplash

November 21, 2019 0 comment

Coding/Computer Science Technology Applications

Free Computer Science Tools For The Classroom

by Catherine Tabor September 13, 2019

written by Catherine Tabor

So, summer has ended. The kiddos are all just beginning to settle in, and you are starting to drown in grading and assignments. Stress not — TA/CS-SIG, the Technology Applications/Computer Science Special Interest Group, is here for you.

As the Computer Science Vice President of TCEA’s TA/CS-SIG, I wanted to compile a list of some of my favorite tech apps and computer science resources that make my life manageable and will hopefully help all of you complete tasks more efficiently as well.

Making Life Easier

Every programming and computer science teacher knows that grading coding assignments can cause even the most dedicated soul to become disillusioned with the whole system. In order to simplify my life, I have used a variety of practice sites throughout my career, many of which you may already be familiar with but some you may not. Oh, and the best part? They are all free.

Repl.it — Repl.it is a simple and powerful online compiler that allows students and teachers to work in over 50 different languages. Teachers can set up classrooms and create assignments for their students or you can find an already created classroom that you like and borrow from it. You can even set up autograding, which will save you time in the long run!
CodingBat – CodingBat has a series of code practice exercises that you can assign to your students for either Python or Java. These are a series of small problems that are designed to help build skills and syntax proficiency.
Khan Academy – You can create a Khan Academy classroom just for computer science or programming. The courses offered range from computer programming to computer animation, and all of it is graded for you by Khan Academy.
Runestone Academy – This is a website that contains a number of open source, free books and activities. Like the other sites listed here, Runestone will allow you to make a classroom and give students assignments. Included on the site is an AP CSA review that I use every year and that my students have found to be very helpful. The site also contains books on Python and data science, along with exercises and projects that you can use in your classroom.
GitHub Classroom – This is one that a lot of us tried a few years ago and found to be a bit unwieldy and difficult to manage. However, it may be time for you to revisit GitHub classroom. They have a new classroom assistant that makes grading so much easier and that can be integrated to work with an LMS and third-party testing.
NICERC – If you are teaching any of the courses in the new cyber security pathway, I am sure you have heard of NICERC. But, if you have not, they have a bunch of great resources for you to use. They offer curricula for a number of STEM/STEAM disciplines and much of it is hands on and project based.
WeTeach_CS – This year, WeTeach_CS from the University of Texas at Austin has rolled out their new computer science A curriculum. It is free for this year, so sign up and give it a try.
Last but not least, TCEA’s TA/CS-SIG officers are always available to help answer your questions and provide great resources via the TA/CS-SIG group in TCEA’s online Community, which all active TCEA TA/CS-SIG members have access to.

I know there are many resources out there that people are using, but hopefully there is at least one on this list that you haven’t tried yet that will help you stay calm, cool, collected, and organized throughout this school year. If you have additional resources you love, please share by leaving a comment below.

Here’s to a happy, less stressful school year for all!

September 13, 2019 1 comment

Coding/Computer Science

Teach Cloud Computing to Students with AWS

by Lori Gracey June 7, 2019

written by Lori Gracey

Amazon Web Services (AWS) has provided a host of free and informative resources for educators and students that are focused on preparing the future cloud workforce. With the increasing demand for cloud employees, AWS Educate provides an academic gateway for the next generation of IT and cloud professionals. AWS Educate is Amazon’s global initiative to provide students and educators with the resources needed to accelerate cloud-related learning. What’s even better is that they have personalized these resources for TCEA’s members.

AWS Educate

Designed for students aged 14 and older around the world, the content at the website is rich and is also free. The program offers students access to self-paced content designed to introduce cloud computing technologies that drive innovation in fields such as artificial intelligence, voice and facial recognition, gaming, medical advancements, and more. For teachers, the site provides facilitator guides to help you lead conversations with your students, run supplemental activities, and provide resources for continued learning outside the classroom. Each guide includes how the challenge aligns to the Computer Science Framework from K12cs.org, background information on the challenge topic, a glossary, and focus questions.

Student Badges

AWS Educate also provides opportunities for students to earn badges by completing self-paced, online curriculum units. The Cloud Explorer Badge is a great place for students who are newer to computer science. Curious about building and sharing games online? Complete interactive challenges that let students explore concepts like algorithms, programming, and cybersecurity through real-world examples. The Cloud Explorer Badge and corresponding facilitator guides are aligned to the K-12 Computer Science Framework for grades 6 through 8.

The Cloud Inventor Badge is designed for students who understand computer science basics and are ready to expand their knowledge with more in-depth challenges on cloud technology. Expanding on AP Computer Science concepts like how variables, big data, and more are used in the cloud today to create the world of tomorrow, the Cloud Inventor Badge and corresponding facilitator guides are aligned to the K-12 Computer Science Framework for grades 9 through 12.

The Cloud Builder Badge is for students students who are ready to start building in the cloud. This badge covers the AWS console and services by starting to create on AWS through challenges and hands-on activities like building a website. Learners will discover how the cloud sparks innovation in a variety of industries, putting themselves in the shoes of a cloud engineer. There are also even more advanced opportunities for online learning available.

How to Get Started with Cloud Computing

Join today to start your and your students’ cloud learning journey and receive up to $200 in AWS Promotional Credits. TCEA educators will also receive automatic enrollment in the Cloud Basics Classroom, which enables you to invite up to 100 of your students to join the classroom and get their own AWS Educate benefits. And again, all of this is completely free to educators.

June 7, 2019 0 comment

Advocacy Coding/Computer Science CTO/CIO Cybersecurity Digital Literacy Professional Learning STEM/STEAM Technology Applications

86th Texas Legislature Wrap-Up

by Jennifer Bergland June 5, 2019

written by Jennifer Bergland

All good things must come to an end, but only someone who loves politics would consider the legislative process a good thing. I’m one of those people. I love every minute of it, even the ones that go past midnight! Looking back over the past four months, I am happy to report that TCEA was able to move our vision of education forward through legislation and have some promising opportunities to help shape the future of Texas schools. I have created a 2019 Bill Analysis document that include the specifics about the bills that will impact digital education, but below is a quick summary of the more important bills.

Computer Science and Coding

Legislature We had some huge wins in the area of computer science and computational thinking this session. Our six-year goal of providing weighted funding for the 9-12 Technology Application courses has finally been achieved. In HB 3, the school finance legislation, the weighted funding for CTE was changed from grades nine through twelve to grades seven through twelve. In addition, the bill specified that CTE courses and programs include Technology Application courses. This means that Technology Application courses from grades seven through twelve will receive the same weighted funding as CTE courses, which is 1.35 (instead of the normal 1). HB 963 requires the SBOE to consolidate the 9-12 Technology Application courses with similar courses found in the CTE curriculum. The goal is to eliminate duplicates and identify the purpose of each of the courses. Finally, HB 2984 requires the SBOE to update the K-8 Technology Application standards to ensure that they include coding, computer programming, computational thinking, and cybersecurity. It also establishes a committee to create a strategic plan for K-12 CS education to increase computer science instruction and participation in public schools.

Broadband

Legislature There are two pieces of legislation that are going to impact educational broadband. The first is HB 1960 which creates a Governor’s Broadband Council that will advise the governor on issues related to broadband access to unserved areas. This is progress, but not as much as we hoped for. There are few, if any, areas of Texas that are unserved. The original bill included underserved areas, but heavy lobbying by the large telecommunication companies eliminated that language from the bill. However, we consider this progress because we finally have some entity at the state level that will look at the state’s needs for broadband from a strategic perspective. For too long, all state entities have tried to provide affordable, scalable broadband for their own purposes when it would be much more cost efficient to survey the needs across agencies and entities and design a plan to meet all the needs. HB 1960 at least establishes a council that could do this in the future, if given the authority.

The second bill that may help with broadband is HB 3906. This is an assessment bill that requires online testing by 2022-2023. The bill requires TEA to evaluate the availability of Internet access for each school district and identify changes to state law or policy that are necessary to improve the availability of Internet access. This may open a door for more aggressive action in parts of the state that are “served” but are underserved.

Digital Learning

HB 3 established a Blended Learning Grant program and then funded it at $6 million a year. TEA’s Math Innovation Zones are how the agency is fulfilling this requirement. It is good to know that the agency has funding to continue these types of grants.

Legislature

I have already mentioned that HB 3906 requires TEA and the SBOE to implement online testing by 2022-2023. Before this can happen TEA and the SBOE must devise an implementation plan that is approved by the legislature. The planning for this type of implementation will require heavy district input, which will largely come from their technology departments. This has the potential to finally focus some much needed light on what the state must do in order ensure that all students have access to technology, not just for assessment, but for learning throughout the year. In order for students to be successful on an online assessment, they must first be technically proficient and familiar with the type of device they will be using when taking the assessment. This translates to more access to digital tools for all students.

Funding

HB 1 is the budget bill for the 2020-2021 biennium. Listed below are some of the appropriations that were made that will impact digital education:

Technology and Instructional Materials Allotment – $1,101,430,204
OER curation – $20,000,000
Blended learning teacher training – $2,000,000
Blended learning grants – $12,000,000
TxVSN administration – $800,000

HB 396 allows districts to use their TIMA on software that will help manage instructional resources, including the usage and effectiveness of digital materials. HB 4611 stipulates that 50% of the funds that the Texas General Land Office sends to the legislature for education must be appropriated to the TIMA. If this had been in place this biennium, there would have been $3 million more placed in the TIMA. In addition, the budget stipulates that the SBOE should restrict instructional material proclamations to 75% of the TIMA and should consider school district’s technology needs when determining the size of the percentage of the Permanent School Fund sent to the legislature. 50% of this distribution goes into the TIMA. In translation, this means the SBOE should be sending the legislature enough money from the PSF to fund both the instructional material needs of school districts and also their technology needs.

Cybersecurity

SB 820 requires each school district to establish a cybersecurity policy that determines the cybersecurity risks to the district and a plan to mitigate those risks. The district will also be required to designate a cybersecurity officer who will oversee the policy. In addition, the district will be required to report to TEA any cyber attack that breaches the system security and notify the parents of the students whose information has been compromised.

Professional Development

There are several opportunities in the bills mentioned above that will provide professional development in digital learning. The Blended Learning Grants are largely designed to provide professional development for educators in blended learning, not to mention the funding provided to UTeach to continue to provide this type of training to Texas teachers. Also, this is a good chance to remind districts that the TIMA may be used to provide professional development on the use of technology. In addition to these bills, the legislature passed HB 2424 that requires the SBEC to establish rules to create microcredentials in fields of study related to an educator certification class. This was one of TCEA’s legislative priorities, so we are excited to see this bill pass.

What’s Next

The legislative session has come to an end, but the hardest work is ahead of us. Enacting legislation is the first step in changing things. Now we begin the process of working with the different agencies and entities to ensure they are enacted well. Stay tuned for more blogs about many of these legislative initiatives and how you can provide input.

Credits

Photo of the computer code taken by Sai Kiran Anagani on Unsplash. Photo of cables taken by Jordan Harrison on Unsplash. Photo of teacher interacting with students taken by Mimi Thian on Unsplash Photo of teachers taken by Kylie Haulk on Unsplash.

June 5, 2019 0 comment

Coding/Computer Science Digital Literacy

Plan Now for Hour of Code

by Jennifer Bergland November 5, 2018

written by Jennifer Bergland

According to Code.org, 93% of Texas parents want their child’s school to offer computer science, but only 40% of Texas schools teach it. Maybe the reason for their interest is because there are 44,972 computing jobs open in the state of Texas in which the average salary is $93,518. The Hour of Code is a perfect event to help drum up support for computer science in your school, district, and community to help meet the demand of your parents and the job market.

The Basics

The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science to demonstrate that anyone can learn the basics of coding. The effort was designed to demystify computer coding and to broaden participation in the field of computer science. The official Hour of Code takes place each year during Computer Science Education Week. The 2018 Computer Science Education Week will be December 3-9, but for all practical purposes, you can host an Hour of Code all year round.

Organizing an Hour of Code event at your school or in your community is easy. Their website provides step-by-step instructions on how to pull off the event, complete with activities your participants can use to learn to code in an hour. They also provide ideas to get your community involved and a FAQ page that will answer almost every question you have about hosting an Hour of Code.

Five Easy Steps to Host a Hour of Code

Code.org has made is easy for you to host an hour of code. Here are the things they suggest you need to consider to make your event a success.

1. Logistics

The first thing you need to decide is where are you going to host the event. They have coding activities that you can use for any device, but you need to decide which devices you’ll use and what you’ll need to make sure they have the necessary bandwidth and power. Code.org even has activities to teach computational thinking skills without using a computer so your event can take place anywhere, even a public park! Just make sure you have reviewed what materials you’ll need for these types of “unplugged” activities.

2. Pick a Tutorial

You may be thinking, “This sounds great, but I don’t know how to code, so how could I help teach someone else?” All the code activities are self-guided so you don’t have to know how. You can learn to code at the same time as your participants! All you have to do is select a tutorial to use in your Hour of Code. All teachers can participate because Code.org has tutorials that are related to math, science, social studies, language arts, fine arts, and computer science. You can sort by subject area, grade level, and by the coding abilities of your participants.

3. Promote the Event

Now that you are all jazzed about hosting an Hour of Code, you want to make sure others know about it. Hour of Code has all types of promotional materials for you to use. They have handouts, videos, posters, social media, and different tools you can use to reach certain people in your community, including your elected officials.

4. Host an Hour of Code

Once you have taken care of all the pre-event details, it is now time to host the event. Have your participants go to code.org/learn and choose the tutorial you picked out. If any of your participants finish early, have them either help someone else or find another tutorial to complete.

5. Celebrate Your Success

When your participants complete the hour, be sure and celebrate. You might want to create a photo booth where they could take selfies and post their photos on their favorite social media site using #HourOfCode as your hashtag. You could also create a certificate to be given out at the end of the hour.

Hour of Code events are full of energy and excitement. It is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate that everyone can code. Who knows, you may spark an interest in coding for the next Steve Jobs! What are you waiting for? Get busy planning your event!

November 5, 2018 0 comment

Coding/Computer Science Funding

Top Three Reasons to Add CS Principles to the Master Schedule Now!

by Guest Blogger November 2, 2018

written by Guest Blogger

This is the season of cool weather, falling leaves, pumpkin spice lattes, and master schedules. This is the best time of year to think ahead and plan for Computer Science (CS) Principles. What will happen in classrooms across the state during the 2019–2020 academic year is being decided now, even before we know who is coming to Thanksgiving dinner in a few weeks. You might be skeptical, but master schedules are complex and serious. Changes and additions can’t be made without evidence and reason. So here are the top three reasons to add Computer Science Principles to the master schedule this November.

1. CS Principles is the best first step to increasing the number and diversity of students taking CS in your school.

While 91 percent of parents want their kids’ schools to teach CS, 60 percent of U.S. high schools don’t offer even one CS course. Every student will need some CS, no matter what career or college major they pursue. The U.S. economy needs more students to choose STEM and CS college majors and careers. For both social justice and economic reasons, students and the economy would benefit if more of these students came from populations currently underrepresented in CS, including girls and minorities.

The CS Principles course is unique because it can be an entry point to computer science for most students. It is based on the College Board’s CS Principles framework, a survey course designed to appeal to a broad range of students. This course is an essential element of a CS program, providing CS literacy for all students and introducing CS to students who might go on to take additional CS courses.

2. CS Principles is the best first step to building CS teacher capacity.

CS Principles is also a good entry point for teachers new to CS. Many teachers have certifications and experience in other subjects before teaching CS. Taking professional development and teaching a CS survey course are good first steps to learning CS content and teaching practices. Teachers can then take more advanced professional development and prepare for state certification, increasing computer science teaching capacity for the school.

3. In Texas, adding CS Principles, and other CS courses, can pay for itself (and maybe even more).

The 2019–2020 academic year is important for computer science in Texas schools. It is likely that a subset of CS courses taught in this year and beyond will receive weighted funding from the state, on average about $7,000 more funding per section of 25 students than in previous years. This increase in funding is well beyond the cost of professional development, curriculum, and support for new CS courses, and it increases with each additional section taught.

That might seem like holiday magic, but here’s how it happened: Two years ago, the Texas Legislature approved weighted funding for a fixed number of CS courses. Since then, the Computer Science Task Force, led by Dr. Carol Fletcher and Rohan Ramchand, delivered a report recommending the courses to receive the weighted funding: Fundamentals of Computer Science, Computer Science I, AP Computer Science Principles, and AP Computer Science A. (Principles of Cybersecurity, a course yet to be developed, would also receive the weighted funding.) The 2019 Texas Legislature is expected to accept this list of courses and apply the weighted funding beginning in the 2019–2020 school year.

In addition to the expected increase in funding for CS courses, the Texas Education Agency has funding available for online Blended Learning + UTeach CS Principles training that includes teacher stipends. The UTeach Institute also has NSF funding that provides free UTeach CS Principles training and teacher stipends in exchange for participating in research activities. (For more information about these programs, email Carol Ramsey at ramsey@uteach.utexas.edu.)

This is the right time to work with your principal, administrators, and counselors to get CS Principles on your school’s master schedule and to begin to promote the powerful learning opportunity to your students. CS Principles can be a key element upon which to build computer science student participation and teacher capacity. It might feel like seeing Thanksgiving decorations in July to start thinking about it now, but ‘tis the season of the master schedule and now is the best time to start. Your students and parents will thank you later!

This is a guest blog by Carol Ramsey (ramsey@uteach.utexas.edu). Ramsey is the manager of UTeach Computer Science, which works to improve computer science teaching and learning in secondary schools, with a focus on access, diversity, and equity. The UTeach Computer Science team delivers curriculum, professional development, and support for the UTeach CS Principles course, first developed by an NSF grant and endorsed by the College Board. She has degrees from both Texas A&M University (Secondary Education) and The University of Texas (Computer Science bachelors and STEM Education masters) and spent many years confused about who to root for on Thanksgiving day.

November 2, 2018 0 comment

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