An interdisciplinary team of Montclair State University researchers are tackling one of New Jersey\u2019s pressing educational challenges \u2013 a lack of computer science (CS) resources and professional development programming for K-12 schools and teachers.<\/p>\n
Computer Science Associate Professor Katherine Herbert and College of Education and Human Services Acting Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Sumi Hagiwara are overseeing more than $1.2 million in grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) to create support programs, resources, professional development programming and opportunities for Northern New Jersey teachers to increase computer science offerings in elementary education.<\/p>\n
Through one of two $333,330 NJDOE awards, the University will host the Montclair State University Computer Science for Everyone Everywhere Program \u2013 a workshop series designed to help teachers and administrators utilize the New Jersey Computer Science and Design Thinking Standards \u2013 on campus beginning July 12, 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese programs will help K-12 teachers address the computer science standards set forth in Governor Murphy\u2019s\u00a02019 plan<\/a>\u00a0to expand computer science in New Jersey, with Montclair as a model for CS education led by CS and teacher education faculty,\u201d says Herbert. \u201cWe\u2019ve designed these programs to provide K-12 teachers with a supportive, collaborative environment to deliver equity-oriented, inclusive computer science and education to all K-12 students in New Jersey.\u201d<\/p>\n The second NJDOE award will allow the team to create the Montclair State University Computer Science Education Hub, which will serve as a central resource for northern New Jersey for professional development in computer science for K-12 teachers, counselors and administrators. Beginning in September, the initiative will include a resource library and a \u201cCurriculum Hack-a-Thon\u201d in December to kick off Computer Science Education Week.<\/p>\n As part of the NSF\u2019s Answers and Research Experience for Teachers programs, two collaborative grants (administered alongside NJIT, Rutgers and the University of West Virginia) will also provide resources to allow for K-12 teachers to visit Montclair to work in on-campus research and teaching labs to develop modules for their classes based on their individual\u00a0 research experiences. The two awards \u2013 NSF award numbers\u00a02149750\u00a0<\/a>and\u00a02206885<\/a>\u00a0total more than $660,000.<\/p>\n The grants come on the heels of Montclair\u2019s launch of its online graduate certificate program in\u00a0K-12 Computer Science Teaching<\/a>\u00a0in 2020, the first of its kind in New Jersey.<\/p>\n Designed for equity-oriented teachers seeking to meet demand for high-quality computer science education, the 15-credit, five-course program offers coursework in computer science content including coding, programming, problem-solving through computational thinking, equity and diversity in computer science fields, and research-based methods of teaching computer science.<\/p>\n \u201cThe certificate program creates a pathway to prepare computer science teachers to deliver high-quality computer science education,\u201d says Hagiwara. \u201cTogether with the grant programs, Montclair is poised to be a leader for interdisciplinary research and best practices in New Jersey computer science education.\u201d<\/p>\n