Tate, C., Remold, J., & Bienkowski, M. (2018). Pursuing the Vision of CS for All: Views from the Front Lines. ACM Inroads, 9(3), 48-52. https://doi.org/10.1145/3230704
Abstract
Headlines in the popular press like “How Silicon Valley Pushed Coding into American Classrooms” and “Who Benefits from the Push to Teach Every Kid to Code? Tech Companies for One” characterize computer science education initiatives as strictly top-down private sector efforts to get public schools to prepare their future workforce. In our work, which includes field research with educators bringing computer science to K–12 settings, we are hearing a very different story about teachers advocating—sometimes doggedly—for computer science instruction. Their motivations have less to do with providing workers for the tech industry than with promoting equity and personal empowerment in the digital age. The voices of these teachers provide insight on current drivers and barriers to adoption of computer science in K–12.