USU Extension announces Utah Computer Science Educators Conference
Utah State University Extension 4-H, with support from Google, announced its first ever Utah Computer Science Educators Conference March 28 at the Washington County Legacy Park in Hurricane.
The event is designed to instruct teachers, informal educators, and volunteer 4-H club leaders on the fundamentals of teaching computer science to youth ages 8 to 14. The hands-on conference workshops will help educators create a clear pathway to begin or enrich an existing computer science program. Educators will learn how to teach technical skills like coding and robotics as well as essential life skills such as computational thinking, teamwork, and resilience. Some of the workshops include the following:
—Teaching computer science with the Lego WeDo 2.0 robotics kit.
—Using the First Lego League robotics programs to teach computer science and life skills.
—Getting up and running with Scratch, a visual programming language developed by MIT.
—Developing a mindset for computational thinking through unplugged computer science activities.
—How to facilitate a Google Expedition.
—An introduction to Python through the Raspberry Pi computer.
If there is one point on which most Americans agree, it is that technology will play an increasingly important role in the way we live and work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that in just three years, there will be 1.4 million computer science-related jobs and only 400,000 qualified job candidates.
In response, 4‑H, America’s largest youth development organization, and Google have come together for a first-of-its-kind computer science collaboration. This partnership is creating a pathway for youth in rural areas to have access to computer science-related education and training.
“It is incredibly exciting to witness the impact of the collaboration between 4-H and Google in establishing a pathway to make computer science education accessible to all the youth in Utah,” said Paul Hill, associate professor for Utah State University Extension. “And, by educating the educators, we can broaden our reach and impact.”
For further conference information, visit 4hcs2018.eventbrite.com or email paul.hill@usu.edu.
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