11138 Views (as of 05/2023)
  1. Sarah Dunton
  2. ECEP Alliance Manager
  3. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  4. University of Massachusetts Amherst
  1. W. ADRION
  2. https://people.cs.umass.edu/~adrion/
  3. Professor Emeritus
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. ECEP Alliance, University of Massachusetts Amherst
  1. Barbara Ericson
  2. http://barbara-ericson.strikingly.com
  3. Senior Research Scientist
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. ECEP Alliance
  1. Julia Fan
  2. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  3. University of Massachusetts Amherst
  1. Carol Fletcher
  2. https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-fletcher-20740511?trk=nav_responsive_tab_profile
  3. Deputy Director
  4. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  5. University of Texas at Austin
  1. Vinh Luong
  2. CA Coordinator
  3. Presenter’s NSFRESOURCECENTERS
  4. University of California, Irvine

Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP)

NSF Awards: 1228355, 1228352

2016 (see original presentation & discussion)

Grades K-6, Grades 6-8, Grades 9-12, Undergraduate, Adult learners, Informal / multi-age

The Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance (ECEP) aims to broaden participation in computing education by working with leaders at the state level. The Alliance includes 12 states and US territories in a community that shares its practice and progress on making state-level systemic change that will result in more and more diverse students in the pathway to computing and computing-intensive degrees. ECEP also offers resources such as mini-grants, workshops, models for organizations, reports, and evaluation to its members.

Because every state’s education systems and policies are unique, ECEP suggests a four-step process toward state-level computer science education reform. Collaboration across sectors is central to this process.

For more information, ideas and resources please visit our website at http://expandingcomputing.cs.umass.edu/

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Discussion from the NSF 2016 STEM For All Video Showcase (29 posts)
  • Icon for: Julie Steimle

    Julie Steimle

    Program Director, CEEMS
    May 16, 2016 | 11:45 a.m.

    Any chance you will expand to Ohio?

  • Icon for: Sarah Dunton

    Sarah Dunton

    Lead Presenter
    ECEP Alliance Manager
    May 16, 2016 | 12:46 p.m.

    Julie,
    The PIs and CoPIs have discussed expansion to new states. It’s great to know that you are interested in the model. For now we are gathering a list of interested states as we consider the possibility of growth. If you haven’t already checked out the ECEP website at http://expandingcomputing.cs.umass.edu/ , please do. There are resources posted that you and your state can take advantage of now.
    Where do you see Ohio in the 4 stages of the ECEP model? I’d like to learn a little more about the current CS landscape there.
    Feel free to email me directly if you have additional questions.

  • Icon for: Julie Steimle

    Julie Steimle

    Program Director, CEEMS
    May 16, 2016 | 04:39 p.m.

    Ohio does allow computer science to count as a math credit, which helps. However, the most rigorous computer science courses are still only found in schools that serve wealthier populations. It would be nice to expand access to all students.

  • Icon for: Carol Fletcher

    Carol Fletcher

    Co-Presenter
    Deputy Director
    May 16, 2016 | 12:16 p.m.

    Texas would love to talk with Ohio about how we can help grow CS teachers. We’ve just launched an online course in EdX to help teachers pass the Texas certification exam.

  • Icon for: Vinh Luong

    Vinh Luong

    Co-Presenter
    CA Coordinator
    May 16, 2016 | 01:54 p.m.

    Julie – Likewise, California would also love to talk with Ohio to explore ways to develop/strengthen new and current CS teachers and increase access to CS education opportunities for all students.

  • Icon for: Barbara Ericson

    Barbara Ericson

    Co-Presenter
    Senior Research Scientist
    May 16, 2016 | 04:54 p.m.

    Another option for teacher professional development is to use a blended model. Our research group at Georgia Tech has been creating a free ebook to help teachers without any prior programming experience learn how to teach the programming and data part of the CS Principles curriculum. See http://tinyurl.com/TeacherCSP for the teacher version of this ebook and http://tinyurl.com/StudentCSP for the companion student version.

  • Icon for: Katie Rich

    Katie Rich

    Facilitator
    Curriculum Developer
    May 16, 2016 | 06:43 p.m.

    Hi Sarah and colleagues,

    I like the four-step model that you outline for reform.

    Could you describe some strategies that your participating states have used to get started on Step 1? Does your project have a discussion board or other online meeting place that might help people find others from their states that are interested in this issue? Have states relied mostly on asynchronous online discussions — easier to manage when many people are involved — or have they found in-person summits to be critical to getting started?

  • Icon for: W. ADRION

    W. ADRION

    Co-Presenter
    Professor Emeritus
    May 17, 2016 | 12:15 a.m.

    Identifying leaders and change agents varies in each state. They are likely to be in higher ed, state ed departments, industry and industry associations, CSTA chapters, STEM teacher orgs, superintendent orgs, CUE (computer using educators) orgs, non-profits, etc..Many state-based folks have met at key national meetings: Jan Cuny’s NSF PI meetings (BPC, CE-21, STEM+C), NCWIT, or CSTA.

    Organizing them into a leadership group also varies. In some states CSTA chapters have been been the organizing focus (CT). In other states, industry groups (MassCAN in MA, ITology in SC) are the catalysts, in others higher education/industry/government groups (ACCESS in CA, TACSE in TX), and in some groups or individuals with NSF, DoEd, or NASA funding, etc. (AL, NH, UT, MD). In ECEP states, some groups have restructured, combined, etc. e.g., MD, UT, AL started as higher ed grants, but are now statewide with schools and depts of Ed (and code.org in AL and UT). MA and SC started as industry groups but now include higher education, dept of Ed, schools, teachers, etc.). ECEP tries to help match make, by suggesting possible contacts.

    The bottom line is someone needs to step up and start organizing.

  • Icon for: Carol Fletcher

    Carol Fletcher

    Co-Presenter
    Deputy Director
    May 17, 2016 | 09:48 a.m.

    In Texas, our very first event was a partnership with the Austin Chamber of Commerce to host a small meeting of interested folks from industry, public schools, higher ed and policy to help us first define the problem and quantify the current state of CS education. It didn’t take a ton of $$$ and we had less than 20 people but it resulted in the publication of a white paper that then gave us a framework for future work and discussions. The vast majority of people from all of those fields had no idea how little was being done in CS. The white paper can be found at http://www.thetrc.org/computer-science-resources/

  • Icon for: Irene Lee

    Irene Lee

    Facilitator
    Research Scientist
    May 17, 2016 | 07:01 a.m.

    Hello, I am curious about how you plan to choose the next states to expand to as part of the ECEP effort. Is there a rubric or strategy for doing so?

  • Mark Guzdial

    Guest
    May 17, 2016 | 10:55 a.m.

    Hi Irene,
    We did have a rubric, and it flows from the video. For example, we were looking for states that had a leader (e.g., someone who would participate in the ECEP Cohort, who would reach across sectors) and a cross-sector organizing/advising committee. Our strategy was to focus on states in which ECEP could be a catalyst — that we could help to spur on reform to broaden and improve access to computing education in a state.

  • Icon for: Irene Lee

    Irene Lee

    Facilitator
    Research Scientist
    May 17, 2016 | 12:10 p.m.

    One concern is that the “most functional” states will move forward (“rich get richer”) using this strategy. But I realize that a state leader must emerge before you can help a state move forward.

  • Icon for: Barbara Ericson

    Barbara Ericson

    Co-Presenter
    Senior Research Scientist
    May 17, 2016 | 12:24 p.m.

    Yes, it is true that we are looking to add the “most functional” states. We only have a small amount of funding so we are trying to make the most of the funding by working with states that are ready to make progress. We can’t do much in a state if there isn’t a group or at least a leader to start work on the problems.

  • Icon for: Beverly Woolf

    Beverly Woolf

    Research Professor
    May 17, 2016 | 08:44 a.m.

    Dear Sarah and Rick,

    This video is great. Thanks for preparing it.

    ECEP is a rich and complex concept. The steps you have identified help to clarify the activities and the animations in the video provide nice analogies to convey what the project is doing.

    Well done. Congratulations

    Beverly Woolf

  • Icon for: Sarah Dunton

    Sarah Dunton

    Lead Presenter
    ECEP Alliance Manager
    May 17, 2016 | 11:24 a.m.

    Thank you for the feedback Beverly. With the growth of CS education and CS for All, states are seeking ways to coordinate conversations with K-12, higher education and industry. The current 11 ECEP states and the territory of Puerto Rico are finding the ECEP model helpful. We hope this video, and all of our materials at http://expandingcomputing.cs.umass.edu/ , will help new states to launch their CS education initiatives.

  • Jennifer Michalek

    Guest
    May 17, 2016 | 09:51 a.m.

    Connecticut already had step 1 complete when we joined ECEP. However, the group lacked direction and our partnership with ECEP has provided us with the opportunity to reflect on our goals and create a plan to accomplish those goals. Although the process is slow, we are making steps forward to expand Computer Science in schools across our state.

  • Dawn Chipman

    Guest
    May 17, 2016 | 05:56 p.m.

    Great video!

  • Icon for: Sarah Dunton

    Sarah Dunton

    Lead Presenter
    ECEP Alliance Manager
    May 18, 2016 | 12:25 p.m.

    Thanks Dawn.

  • Icon for: Katie Rich

    Katie Rich

    Facilitator
    Curriculum Developer
    May 18, 2016 | 09:57 a.m.

    I’m interested in hearing more about the continuum you describe in Step 2. What are different ways you’d describe progress along this continuum? Number of schools offering CS? Number of trained teachers? Amount of discussion happening?

    I’d be curious to hear how anyone who has looked at CS in their state would describe their position on the continuum.

  • Mark Guzdial

    Guest
    May 18, 2016 | 10:24 a.m.

    Hi Katie,

    Great question! I know what the end goal looks like: All students have access to high-quality computing education, with teachers and (multiple) classes in every school, and participation in those classes looks much more like the demographics of the general population than CS classes do today. We recently wrote a Blog@CACM post on where the ECEP Cohort states are in progress towards this goal: http://cacm.acm.org/blogs/blog-cacm/198790-stat.... I blog regularly on how we’re doing in movement towards these goals, including this post on the latest data from Georgia: https://computinged.wordpress.com/2016/03/31/st...

    - Mark

  • Icon for: Steve Bean

    Steve Bean

    Enterprise Director
    May 18, 2016 | 03:41 p.m.

    Sarah,I’m glad that I happened across your video. It’s so refreshing to see a high-level policy reform initiative in among all the education demonstration projects. We’re based out of agrarian Watsonville and Salinas CA:
    http://stemforall2016.videohall.com/presentatio...
    Can you tell me how we connect with what your initiative is doing here in CA? We have good relationships with CA Assemblymember Luis Alejo’s office, the Panetta Institute and White House Senior Policy Advisor (and Watsonville native son) Rafael Lopez but haven’t heard of your initiative.

  • Icon for: Sarah Dunton

    Sarah Dunton

    Lead Presenter
    ECEP Alliance Manager
    May 19, 2016 | 12:13 p.m.

    Steve,
    We’re glad you found us too. Thank you for the feedback. One of our goals is to make all of our resources and contacts easily accessible. We don’t want people to feel like they need to start at zero. The CA contacts and information about CA can be found at: http://expandingcomputing.cs.umass.edu/california
    One of the co-presenters on this video is Vinh Luong. He is a great first contact to reach out to. I will keep you in our database of people interested in learning more about our work.

  • Icon for: Jill Denner

    Jill Denner

    Senior Research Scientist
    May 19, 2016 | 12:44 p.m.

    I just met Vinh at the NCWIT Summit yesterday! We will definitely reach out to him, and to Julie Flapan. We need to better connect our work with state-wide efforts.

  • Icon for: Vinh Luong

    Vinh Luong

    Co-Presenter
    CA Coordinator
    May 19, 2016 | 02:31 p.m.

    Hi Jill,

    It was a pleasure #NESTworking with you yesterday at the K-12 Alliance session. I would love to learn more about the Digital NEST and your research on the integration of CS Education in informal settings. Let’s arrange a time to chat, and maybe explore opportunities to collaborate.

  • Ramesh Sitaraman

    Guest
    May 18, 2016 | 06:59 p.m.

    Great work by ECEP.

  • Icon for: Evan Korth

    Evan Korth

    Facilitator
    Clinical Professor
    May 18, 2016 | 11:32 p.m.

    This is a fantastic effort and great video. We have made quite a bit of progress in NYC where we have a state sized school system. From our experience I think the four steps are a great framework. Do you have a repository of best practices for each of the four steps?

    Have you reached out to any organizations that could help fund replication of your best practices around the country?

  • Mark Guzdial

    Guest
    May 19, 2016 | 10:19 a.m.

    Thanks, Evan! We’re trying to figure out how to communicate what is happening with our ECEP cohort. The problem is figuring out what’s the right unit to share — what’s a “practice”? What would we put in the repository? States are so very different from one another. We find that our cohort takes things from each other that we might not have predicted as a useful nugget, e.g., a survey to teachers from this state, a CS teacher incentive program from that state. We might have to document these as case studies.

  • Icon for: Richard Ladner

    Richard Ladner

    Professor
    May 23, 2016 | 02:13 p.m.

    ECEP rocks. Keep up the great work.

  • Icon for: W. ADRION

    W. ADRION

    Co-Presenter
    Professor Emeritus
    May 23, 2016 | 05:12 p.m.

    Thanks Richard!

  • Further posting is closed as the event has ended.