Computer Science

News & Updates

Computer Science Plan

The K-12 District Computer Science plan requirement may already be in effect but that doesn’t mean it is too late to improve your plan!

Central Rivers AEA has partnered with CSforAll to help districts use the SCRIPT (Strategic CSforALL Planning Tool for School Districts) process to reflect on current computer science conditions in the district and set attainable goals to help districts implement quality computer science instruction for all students.

If your district already participated in SCRIPT, there is the SCRIPT Network Check-in. This workshop is for districts that have completed the initial SCRIPT planning process and would like to reconvene their team to work on their district goals and action steps.

Course # 204001 CR – Computer Science Strategic Planning & Implementation (SCRIPT) Checkin

Section # 313184 (Cedar Falls) March 23rd 9:00-3:00

Section # 313187 (Zoom) March 28th & April 5th 9:00-11:30

If your district used the planning template provided by the Department of Education and would like to set more specific goals and action steps for planning purposes, then SCRIPT Planning Workshop is for you.

Professional Learning Opportunities

Exploring the Computer Science Teacher Standards Workshop

This workshop will familiarize participants with the CSTA Computer Science Teacher Standards and help them set goals based on those standards to improve their practice. These workshops are offered on Saturday mornings and evenings during the week.

Course # 202252 Exploring the Computer Science Teacher Standards

Section # 313696 (Zoom) Saturdays (March 4th & April 22nd 9:00-11:30)

Section # 313697 (Zoom) Evenings (April 5th & May 3rd)

Computer Science Teacher Standards for Administrators

This workshop will familiarize administrators with the CSTA Computer Science Teacher Standards and accompanying tools, and help them understand how those standards can help their districts implement a quality computer science program, including using the Practical Evidence Guide during classroom observations.

Course #230727 CR – Computer Science Standards for Administrators

Section #313728 (Zoom) Feb. 22nd & March 1st 4:00-6:30

Section #313729 (Cedar Falls)March 9th, 9:00-3:00

Computer Science Teacher Network

Central Rivers AEA is bringing back the Computer Science Teacher Network! The combination of face-to-face and virtual networking times will provide teachers with the opportunity to engage in structured learning while learning from and collaborating with other computer science teachers in our AEA. Please fill out this form if you are interested in attending.

Face-to-face dates (Central Rivers AEA Cedar Falls office): Oct. 4th & April 24th, 9:00-3:00

Elementary Virtual dates: Jan. 19th, 3:45-5:00

Middle School Virtual dates: Feb. 2nd, 3:30-5:00

High School Virtual dates: Feb. 9th, 3:30-5:00

Integrating Computer Science Standards into Content Areas

This hybrid course will provide elementary teachers with grade-level specific ideas for teaching computer science principles to their students, focusing on information to be taught, recommended approaches, and ties to the Iowa Core. Participants will create a plan and lessons to incorporate their learning into their classroom and will provide implementation information and an evaluation of that implementation.

Course #204002 CR – Integrating Computer Science Standards into Content Areas

Section #313667 (Cedar Falls) Jan. 31st & March 27th 9:00-3:00

Section #313729 (Cedar Falls) March 9th 9:00-3:00

Computer Science Standards Offerings from AEA PD Online

These offerings are self-paced and are designed to familiarize teachers with the computer science standards. You can take the elementary/ms level or the secondary-level course for recertification credit, or you can take the individual modules for no credit.

Computer Science Resources

The Computer Science Resources page will provide links and information about teacher resources, curriculum options, supplemental resources, and extracurricular programs.

The Central Rivers AEA Physical Computing page provides a list of the items available for checkout from the Central Rivers AEA Media Center as well as information about how they can help meet student standards and coming soon lesson ideas to help get you started using these in your classroom.

What is Computer Science?

Iowa defines computer science as understanding how and why technologies work, exploring whether and how technology could solve real-life problems, investigating procedures, creating solutions, and learning about computing systems, programming, data, networks, and the effects on society and the individual. Learning computer science means learning how to create new technologies, rather than simply using them.

It is the vision of the state of Iowa that all Iowa students will engage in the concepts and practices of computer science through an intentional progression of experiences in order to prepare them to become enterprising citizens that positively impact society.

This vision is accomplished through the CSTA and Iowa standards which weave the Core Practices throughout the Core Concepts. You can find more about computer science in Iowa on the Department of Education site.