Dive Brief:
- Schools that don’t have trained computer science teachers on staff can expand their offerings with CodeCombat’s game-based platform, which teaches students to code as they progress through the game.
- According to eSchool News, Catholic schools in Illinois and charters in Colorado are among those using the online, self-paced and self-guided platform to expose students to computer science in middle school, when it otherwise wouldn’t be offered.
- CodeCombat founder Nick Winter says schools are trying to make coding more attractive to girls by doing projects in pairs or groups and engaging students with real-world projects.
Dive Insight:
A lack of qualified teachers is a key reason why some schools simply cannot offer certain subjects. When programmers are virtually guaranteed higher salaries in the private sector, teaching computer science in public schools is a hard sell. Same for college graduates who majored in physics and other STEM subjects. The latest Civil Rights Data Collection survey found clear disparities in access to and participation in advanced classes for Latino, black, American Indian and Alaska Native students.
The New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning is among those trying to get more physics teachers into the pipeline. Their innovative model focuses on teaching experienced teachers physics, rather than convincing physicists to become high school teachers. Another initiative at Boston University is expanding access to AP Physics classes by offering high school students invitation-only versions of a massive open online course.
