Build systems capacity to create more CS teachers at all levels, and specifically invest in CS faculty within colleges of education

Every teacher at every level should have a foundational understanding of computer science. At Michigan State University, for example, Dr. Aman Yadav transformed the educational technology course for new teachers to include foundational learning in CS and computational thinking. To increase CS education access for students with disabilities, he integrated CS and computational thinking into two required courses for special-education teachers. Yet very few colleges of education have faculty dedicated to the preparation of teachers in CS. Meanwhile, the bulk of K-12 CS education research is taking place in colleges of engineering and computer science, which are often disconnected from colleges of education.

Investing in CS education capacity within schools of education ensures that new teachers graduate prepared in CS, builds the field of CS education research in the colleges that prepare teachers, and incubates a pipeline of Ph.D. candidates to populate other colleges of education. Further, directing these investments to institutions that prepare high percentages of teachers of color will seed the next generation of CS education leaders with teachers of color—a critical need-—as well as rapidly graduate large numbers of teachers prepared to teach CS in all classrooms. Contact CSforED@csforall.org to get started.