Educators learn to code through LU’s partnerships with Apple
After working with Apple to support a “Coding in Schools Initiative” launched this summer for educators, Lamar University is preparing to continues its collaboration with the technology giant by facilitating a year-long Professional Learning Program where teachers continue their coding curriculum for credits toward an advanced degree.
Educators from eight school districts in Houston and Austin, participated in week-long coding camps this past June. Those teachers then offered coding camps for students in their districts later in the summer. Now those teachers will continue their education with a 32-week online course offered by Lamar University. Not only will they earn 12 credits toward a master’s degree or doctoral degree, but their tuition will be reimbursed through Apple.
“The primary concept behind the Coding in Schools Initiative is to provide high quality professional learning experiences for K12 educators,” said George Saltsman, director of educational innovation at LU. “The program provided summer coding camps for children, which serve primarily as an applied learning activity for teachers to apply what they have recently learned and to build their confidence in delivering coding lessons. A year-long professional learning experience follows, which focuses on the active integration of coding concepts into the curriculum with oversight from experts and mentor coaches.”
Saltsman says the nationwide initiative is aimed at solving a national workforce problem. According to the U.S. Labor Bureau there are 500,000 unfilled coding jobs in the U.S., and the country only produces roughly 68,000 computer science graduates a year.
“If the U.S. is going to address this growing gap between newly created jobs and a capable labor force to drive our emerging digital economy, we must expose more students to computer coding concepts and entice them to enter into computer science degrees,” said Saltsman. “That begins in schools which means we have to ensure there are teachers sufficiently qualified to teach coding and other STEM skills.”
LU’s 32-week program to teach educators coding will run concurrently with the school year, August through May. During the program, LU and Apple will host weekly video conferences and provide weekly interaction with teachers.
According to Saltsman, participants in the program will extend their coding or digital technology skills including Apple devices, MacOS and iOS software, Swift and relevant coding applications. Lessons delivered will include Everyone Can Create and Everyone Can Code curriculum, hands-on activities with Swift Playgrounds, Sphero SPRK+ and other coding resources and a Community Challenge activity which utilizes Design Thinking, Prototyping and UI/UX design.
Lamar University's vision is that at the end of the program participants will emerge and assume leadership roles as change agents able to utilize technology to advance educational outcomes.
Educators from eight school districts in Houston and Austin, participated in week-long coding camps this past June. Those teachers then offered coding camps for students in their districts later in the summer. Now those teachers will continue their education with a 32-week online course offered by Lamar University. Not only will they earn 12 credits toward a master’s degree or doctoral degree, but their tuition will be reimbursed through Apple.
“The primary concept behind the Coding in Schools Initiative is to provide high quality professional learning experiences for K12 educators,” said George Saltsman, director of educational innovation at LU. “The program provided summer coding camps for children, which serve primarily as an applied learning activity for teachers to apply what they have recently learned and to build their confidence in delivering coding lessons. A year-long professional learning experience follows, which focuses on the active integration of coding concepts into the curriculum with oversight from experts and mentor coaches.”
Saltsman says the nationwide initiative is aimed at solving a national workforce problem. According to the U.S. Labor Bureau there are 500,000 unfilled coding jobs in the U.S., and the country only produces roughly 68,000 computer science graduates a year.
“If the U.S. is going to address this growing gap between newly created jobs and a capable labor force to drive our emerging digital economy, we must expose more students to computer coding concepts and entice them to enter into computer science degrees,” said Saltsman. “That begins in schools which means we have to ensure there are teachers sufficiently qualified to teach coding and other STEM skills.”
LU’s 32-week program to teach educators coding will run concurrently with the school year, August through May. During the program, LU and Apple will host weekly video conferences and provide weekly interaction with teachers.
According to Saltsman, participants in the program will extend their coding or digital technology skills including Apple devices, MacOS and iOS software, Swift and relevant coding applications. Lessons delivered will include Everyone Can Create and Everyone Can Code curriculum, hands-on activities with Swift Playgrounds, Sphero SPRK+ and other coding resources and a Community Challenge activity which utilizes Design Thinking, Prototyping and UI/UX design.
Lamar University's vision is that at the end of the program participants will emerge and assume leadership roles as change agents able to utilize technology to advance educational outcomes.
Posted on Fri, July 19, 2019 by Shelly Vitanza
