![]() ![]() ![]() In the two years since the initiative launched, the number of Arkansas high schoolers taking computer science has exploded, from 1,100 to 5,500 students - nearly 20 percent of the high school senior population. They have developed virtual classes for rural, low-income, and minority students whose schools can’t afford in-person instruction - piggybacking on pre-existing internet connections so they’re not left out. They have literally written the book on how to teach computer literacy to children as young as 5. Arkansas educators, business leaders, and policymakers are working at warp speed to fill a void in the computer education world by creating road maps for bringing computer science to elementary and middle school classrooms. Known more for low salaries and poor test scores than for a bustling technology sector, Arkansas is going all in on computer education, spending an initial $5 million to train teachers and help districts pay for staffing and equipment to bring computer literacy to all grade levels. Hutchinson, as captured on local TV, was experiencing firsthand what students across his state are learning, thanks to an ambitious, first-in-the-nation initiative he is spearheading - in partnership with universities, major corporations, and educators- to teach computer science to every student in Arkansas. “Do you remember which way is the positive X direction?” Cobb asked. In the front of the room was tall, lanky Justin Cobb, a computer science teacher who likened the exercise to plotting numbers on a number line. Hutchinson, a slender, white-haired man, smiled through his frustration as he struggled with Scratch, a programming language developed by MIT graduates for coding beginners, to get the bird moving in the right direction. Asa Hutchinson and a group of high school students fixed their eyes on their computers, trying to make a colorful cartoon bird fly across the screen. During third period in a North Little Rock classroom, Arkansas Gov. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |