CP1.7 - What CS topics/skills should be in K-12 education?

Background

So far in this unit you have read a broad set of materials from a variety of sources. Many of these were selected because they include some combination of:

  1. attempt to explain what CS actually is as a discipline in K-12 education
  2. explains the rationale behind the inclusion of CS in K-12 education
  3. define elements of what topics/issues are appropriate for CS in K-12 education

We wrap up by summarizing those ideas.

 

Assignment

Translating Computer Science to K-12 Skills

For the final activity I would like you to consider how what you read about Computer Science for this week translates to skills for K-12 students.

Suppose that you were asked by your school district to help articulate what and how computer science would be taught across the entire K-12 curriculum.  Before you could identify how it would be taught you really want to think about what the results of that teaching would/should be. In other words, what skills do we want kids to have as they progress through K-12 education.  Later in the course I will ask you to write much more focused and specific outcomes for a very specific grade band of your selection.  For now I want you to think more big picture and in more general terms.

In your own words prepare a set of general goals/outcomes/skills for each of the indicated grade bands:

Obviously these four bands align with the CSTA/Iowa standards and, mostly obviously, this activity relates to those standards.  But I'm wanting you to think beyond the standards just a bit and consider how those standards might be translated to skills that the students in your school district could exhibit.  For each grade band, what are the things you would like students to be able to do?

DISCLAIMER:  I recognize that this activity could (and partially will) be conducted at a VERY specific level of detail.  But this is "Unit 1" and I'm trying to just get you started thinking about computer science as a whole.  So think big picture and "starting point" level of detail for now.  It is likely that 3-8 skills is sufficient at this time in the course. Don't feel you have to limit yourself to 8.  But don't feel obligated to go significantly deeper beyond that either.

 

Evaluation