Standards Alignment A study of alignment between state

Standards Alignment A study of alignment between state standards and the ACM K-12 Curriculum

ACM Ed Policy Committee • Our charge: – “persuading” federal & state governments to adopt standards and assessments that are aligned to a well-defined and accepted Computer Science curriculum leading to a secondary (high school) graduation requirement

ACM Ed Policy Committee • The good news? – The curriculum guidelines exist: • The bad news? – The rest (standards, assessments, graduation) doesn’t!

CS in the Education Policy Landscape • Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) != Computing • Often in the T, but a poor fit – Doesn’t technology literacy, technology IN education = computer science knowledge? – Computing in T often focused on the use of technology (e. g. , word processing/spread sheets) – Definition of technology is slippery at best – T courses are often focused on vocational ed, not collegebound students

Standards in US Education • What are standards? – Defined competencies that provide standardization • According to the National Academies Press they: – “Point towards a destination, and give us a road map of how to get there. ” National Academies Press, National Science Education Standards, 1996

What are the ACM Standards? • 55 Standards for grades K-12 • Broken out into Levels – Level 1: Foundations of CS (K-8: 35) • (K-2: 12; 3 -5: 11; 6 -8: 12) – Level 2: CS in Modern World (9 -10: 10) – Level 3: CS Analysis & Design (10 -11: 10)

Data Collection/Methodology • State Departments of Education • Math/Science/Technology Standards – Includes CTE, business, or other standards as well • Aligned with ACM K-12 Curriculum • Light implementation judgment

Overall Results Implementation of Computer Science Standards Average Implementation 54%

Why is this optimistic?

Fluency Report Division • Contemporary Skills: The abilities necessary to use today's computer applications in one's own work (set up a computer, use a word processor). • Intellectual Capabilities: The fundamental abilities necessary for using IT to solve a problem (reason abstractly, manage complexity, anticipate change). • Foundational Concepts: The basic ideas that underlie modern computers, networks and information (modeling & abstraction, algorithmic thinking). National Academies Press, Being Fluent with Information Technologies, 1999

Understand the graph as a tool for representing problem states and solutions to complex problems ([LI] 68. 11)

Examples (like programming a telephone answering system) that identify the broad interdisciplinary utility of computers and algorithmic problem solving in the modern world. (L 2. 8)

Fundamental ideas about the process of program design and problem solving, including style, abstraction, and initial discussions of correctness and efficiency as part of the software design process. (L 3. 1)

Landscape is Changing. .

States with Technology Requirement for Graduation

How Does CS Count for Graduation?

Where does this leave us? • According to the picture created by the standards, Computer Science is mostly being taught as a series of skills and capabilities where using computers and computer technology are emphasized. • There is little consistency between implementations. • Only about 1/3 of states require some form of technology literacy for graduation, and often that is an applications course and not a computer science course.

Standards • Level I, Foundations of CS (grades K-2) – – – K 2. 1 Use Standard I/O K 2. 2 Use a computer for learning K 2. 3 Communicate about technology K 2. 4 Use multimedia to support learning K 2. 5 Work cooperatively while using technology K 2. 6 Positive social and ethical behaviors K 2. 7 Responsible Use K 2. 8 Create/Develop appropriate multimedia with support K 2. 9 Use Technology resources for problem solving K 2. 10 Gather information and communicate with others using technology K 2. 11 Understand how 0's and 1's can represent information K 2. 12 Understand how to arrange/sort information

Standards • Level I, Foundations of CS (grades 3 -5) – – – 35. 1 Use I/O and Keyboarding Skills 35. 2 Discuss common uses of technology in daily life 35. 3 Discuss issues about responsible use 35. 4 Use productivity tools 35. 5 Use technology tools (digital cameras, presentation, web, scanner, multimedia) 35. 6 Use telecommunications to get remote information 35. 7 Use online resources for problem solving 35. 8 Use technology resources (calculators, digital probes, videos) for problem solving 35. 9 Select technology tools appropriate for problems 35. 10 Evaluate accuracy, relevance, of electronic information 35. 11 Develop an understanding of an algorithm

Standards • Level I, Foundations of CS (grades 6 -8) – – – 68. 1 Identify and solve routine HW and SW problems 68. 2 Understand changes in IT and their effects 68. 3 Legal and ethical Behaviors 68. 4 Use content-specific tools (calculators, digital probes, web) to support learning 68. 5 Apply productivity and multimedia tools 68. 6 Make products including video, web pages, etc. using technology 68. 7 Collaborate using telecommunications and develop solutions 68. 8 Select appropriate tools and technologies to solve problems 68. 9 Understand hardware, software and algorithms 68. 10 Evaluate accuracy of electronic information sources 68. 11 Understand graphs 68. 12 Fundamentals of Logic

Standards • Level II, CS in the Modern World (grades 9 -10) L 2. 1 Principles of computer organization (I/O, memory, OS, software) L 2. 2 Basic Steps in algorithmic problem solving L 2. 3 Components of computer networks L 2. 4 Organization of Internet elements, web design, search engines L 2. 5 Hierarchy and abstraction in CS L 2. 6 Connections between CS and Math L 2. 7 Computers modeling intelligent behavior and difference between humans and computers – L 2. 8 Examples of interdisciplinary CS – L 2. 9 Ethical issues relating to networks, IP and public domain – L 2. 10 Identification of careers in CS – – – –

Standards • Level III, CS as Analysis & Design (grades 10 -11) – – – – – L 3. 1 Software design process L 3. 2 Simple Data Structures and their uses L 3. 3 Discrete Mathematics L 3. 4 Design for Usability L 3. 5 Hardware Design L 3. 6 Characteristics of compilers/OS/Networks L 3. 7 Limits of Computing L 3. 8 Principles of Software Engineering L 3. 9 Social Issues L 3. 10 Careers in Computing