Galloway, Nj — Nearly 400 K-12 teachers across South Jersey were introduced to computing during the past school year through the establishment of a regional center by the Educational Technology Training Center (ETTC) at Stockton University.
The center will continue to train teachers this year thanks to a recent $444,445 grant from the state, said Patty Weeks, director of the Southern Regional Institute and ETTC in Stockton.
“Teachers are exploring Unplugged Computer Science, Physical Computing, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and the New Jersey New Jersey Computer Science Student Learning Standards,” Weeks said. “Teachers love it because they learn that it’s not just about coding.” It’s about teaching your students to first consider a problem and then find a solution. It’s not always about writing a line of computer code.”
The center was established last year with an initial $333,313 state grant to fulfill Gov. Phil Murphy’s 2020 mandate to “expand access to high-quality, standards-based computer science education for all New Jersey K-12 students.” Starting with the 2022-23 school year. , all students had to have access to computer science subjects, which created the need for a network of educators throughout the region.
It’s about teaching your students to first consider a problem and then find a solution. It’s not always about writing a line of computer code.”
Patti Weeks, director of the Southern Regional Institute and ETTC in Stockton
Weeks said the second year of CS Coastal Hub funding at Stockton University began providing free training to teachers in May. Workshops will be available during the summer and school year 2023-2024. Teachers also receive on-site instruction in their classrooms and participate in an online community to share ideas about teaching and learning computer science across grade levels and content areas.
Weeks said the free workshops are open to any teacher from any district, but the center also partnered with three specific districts this year to receive additional on-site support during the grant period — Egg Harbor Township, Folsom Township and Greater Egg Harbor Regional. High school district.
“In today’s digital age, computing has become a necessary skill for everyone. “Computer science teaches students how to approach problems logically and systematically,” Weeks said, “and it can also be fun to develop and design new solutions to everyday problems.”
Learn more about the Coastal Hub for Computer Science by visiting the program’s website and viewing the schedule of upcoming events. For questions or more information, email Patti Weeks.
The SRI & ETTC at Stockton University is one of the top professional development programs in the nation. Nearly 10,000 educators participate in its programs and activities each year in topics that include technology integration, core curriculum, instructional strategies, school leadership, special education, and social and emotional learning.
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