FDU CS for all
FDU CS hub
The CS hub at FDU was established with funding from the New Jersey Department of Education to expand equitable access for all K-12 students and participation in high-quality CS education via professional learning for educators, curricula development and promoting the expansion of CS activities at NJ schools. Our projects are designed to answer a two-part question about CS education for all:
What kind of Professional Learning (PL) do teachers need to support all students?
How can we support and sustain evidence-based CS programs in and beyond the classroom?
With a broad experience in teacher preparation and PL activities through the STEM Institute of Education (SIE) and School of Education at FDU, we are well positioned to prepare teachers with skills and pedagogical expertise to deliver superior CS education for all students.
The goals of the FDU CS Hub are to:
Increase the number of well-prepared educators to teach CS in K-12.
Expand equitable access to superior CS education for all students by creating evidenced based models rooted in research.
Collaborate and provide resources to school districts for expanding CS education;
Infuse CS PL into the teacher preparation program for pre-service teachers.
partners
For the year 2022-2023, we partnered with 6 school districts (LEAs):
Boonton | Florham Park | Hackettstown | Hanover Park | Jersey City | Morris
In addition, we have included other districts to broaden impact. Two of the larger partners have minority, underserved populations of 86% and 50%. During the 13- month project we have trained 73 , grade K-12 teachers from 34 different school districts in NJ directly impacting over 7000 K-12 students, exceeding our set goal of impacting 3200 students.
For the year 2023-2024, we have expanded our partnership to 12 school districts:
Bloomingdale | Butler | Hanover Twp | Hawthorne | Hillside | Hoboken | Lakeland | Long Hill | Millburn | Paterson Charter School | Union City | Wayne
Philosophy
We set out to increase teachers’ content knowledge and skills in CS, and introduce and practice strategies to ensure persistence and success of all students by promoting hands-on, active learning strategies. The main purpose of imparting professional development for teacher learning is to enable these teachers to impart improved learning to their students and prepare them to become effective thinkers, problem solvers and communicators, and have the skills needed for high-skilled, high-demand jobs.
Teacher professional development, with appropriate pedagogical techniques for different grade levels and curricula implementation guidance is one of the most effective ways to increase student learning and improve the quality of CS education in U.S. schools. To implement the 2020 NJSLS, we need to prepare the teachers for our youngest students, i.e., K-5 teachers by offering teacher learning opportunities so that improved instruction can follow, and students will receive a 21st century education, with practical applications in the critical computational thinking skills that are so relevant in our daily lives.