Stories

Spring CS PD

Want to continue your summer CSPDWeek experience? Or did you miss CSPDWeek and want to learn more? Here are the Spring 2021 CS Workshops offered with the support of SCDE CTE (ALL VIRTUAL):

Feb. 20 - Show and Tell - Tools and Resources
Mar. 6 - CS Advocacy
Apr. 17 - Physical Computing
May 1 - Power of Programming Languages

Workshop Descriptions:

Show and Tell – Tools and Resources

-Teachers will share lessons and tools they have used in their classes. We will reflect on Fall semester and discuss needs moving forward for Spring and Summer.

CS Advocacy

-As administrators, teachers, and counselors begin to think about courses for next school year, we will spend time discussing equitable recruitment strategies, as well as CS pathways and pipelines.

Physical Computing (advanced topic)

-Discuss micro:bit and other physical computing devices, including implementation in the virtual classroom.

Power of Programming Languages

-Compare and contrast a variety of languages, including use cases, to help teachers determine the program language(s) that may benefit their students for their classroom.

Spring Follow-up PD

Part 3 - CS Discoveries - Feb. 27th - Register Here

Part 4 - CS Discoveries - Apr. 24th - Register Here

Part 3 - CS Principles - Feb. 27th - Register Here

Part 4 - CS Principles - Apr. 24th - Register Here

South Carolina’s CSPDWeek is brought to you by CSTA South Carolina, national nonprofit Code.org and their Regional Partner, The Citadel, and the SCDE CTE Office. We are looking forward to hosting hundreds of SC K-12 educators to join us for a week of CS PD this summer.

SC K-12 educators can choose one, week-long, PD workshop and earn a 30-hour, state-recognized PD experience in computer science. Additionally, CSPDWeek will provide a great deal of networking and fun for participants!

Location: Virtual

Date & Time: July 26-30, 2021 • 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

Save the Date!

Future of CS Summit

Learn about emerging concepts in the field of CS and engage with industry experts on topics on the horizon.

The Future of CS: Emerging Concepts in CS Education

January 16, 2021

12:00 PM-5:00 PMET

This half-day online summit will be an opportunity for K-12 CS educators to learn about emerging concepts in the field of CS and engage with industry experts on topics on the horizon.

CSTA 2021 Virtual Conference

There is a whole community of computer science educators just like you out there. If you are looking for inspiration, connection, and a chance to be rejuvenated, join us at CSTA 2021, set for July 14-16, 2021.

CSTA's Annual Conference is a chance for computer science teachers to come together for learning, networking, and fun. We are a community of educators who are changing the lives of students every day in our classrooms. We are eager to share our knowledge and to learn from one another.

Our three-day virtual conference has over 100 sessions of education to broaden your knowledge of computer science education, inspirational keynotes and sessions to reinvigorate your passion for teaching, and countless moments of fun and connection along the way. If you are looking for new and exciting ways to engage with your students in your classroom, look no further than CSTA 2021. You don't want to miss out on this great experience.

Ozobot Donation Program

Ozobot is happy that educators want to work to close the technology gap for Black students! You can apply to receive an Ozobot Classroom Kit by filling out the form below.

Eligibility Requirements:

Your school has a majority (50%+) Black student population
Full-time employment (or considered at least 0.75 FTE) by a public school, public charter school or the Office of Head Start.
You're an educator or other faculty member whose main responsibility is to directly teach students or train other educators.
The students you work with are within the range of grades K-12
You're in charge of creating your own lesson plans (or equivalent in a non-classroom role), and not primarily assisting another lead teacher.

*Educators and other faculty can include (but aren't limited to): classroom teachers, subject-area teachers, librarians, STEM/STEAM teachers, etc.

If your school is selected, Ozobot will ask you to provide an update/feedback on:

How you are using your Ozobot Classroom Kit with your students
How Ozobot can improve learning opportunities for Black students

Please note: If your school is selected, Ozobot will email you at your school email address. Donations will be made monthly, they will keep your application on file and consider it in the months that follow, so there is no need to re-apply.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Fall CS PD

The Office of Career and Technical Education (OCTE) at the South Carolina Department of Education is sponsoring some Information Technology and Computer Science Professional Learning Opportunities (PLOs). All of the sessions will be Virtual via Zoom. Please use the registration links provided below to register for these events. More information on the PLOs can be found at the registration links as well.

Please note that this is not the 30 hour PD that allows for the teaching of the Introductory Computer Science courses. That PD will be announced at a later date.

Workshop	Date	Registration Link
Curriculum Survey	Oct. 10	https://forms.gle/3gGCqLeFvsJMUwYu6
Machine Learning / AI	Oct. 17	https://forms.gle/3gGCqLeFvsJMUwYu6
Impact of Computing	Nov. 14	https://forms.gle/3gGCqLeFvsJMUwYu6
Nifty Assignment	Dec. 5	https://forms.gle/3gGCqLeFvsJMUwYu6
CS Discoveries, Part 1	Oct. 3	https://studio.code.org/pd/workshops/9524/enroll
CS Discoveries, Part 2	Nov. 7	https://studio.code.org/pd/workshops/9525/enroll
CS Principles, Part 1	Oct. 3	https://studio.code.org/pd/workshops/9526/enroll
CS Principles, Part 2	Nov. 7	https://studio.code.org/pd/workshops/9527/enroll

Learningblade Offers Free Resources

Learning Blade for Remote Learning

Dear SC Educators,

You should have received an email from State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman and OCTE Director Angel Malone that was a memo to school leadership announcing that they are providing your school a license to the Learning Blade Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) career awareness system for use with remote learning and beyond.

Learning Blade is a system of interactive online lessons and printable at-home activities for 5th to 9th graders, where students learn about STEM and Computer Science careers while reviewing academics. Students can use over 400 online lessons in 12 human-centered "Missions" or stories to explore these exciting careers.

Questions about Learning Blade can be directed to info@learningblade.com

Thank you.

Free Certification from TestOut

Now that summer is approaching and more and more people are staying home, what plans do you have for your summer? Right now is the perfect time to get trained and certified in IT and MOS, and we can help you, and best of all, right now, it's free.

Control Live Robots from Home

Program and control BirdBrain's robots in real-time from anywhere in the world and watch the code come to life!

USA Science & Engineering Festival SciFest All Access

https://mcusercontent.com/f17be9e3ecfdd4732eed0258a/images/55db21b1-76d8-44fd-a7d0-ba923e78509c.jpg

The USA Science & Engineering Festival announced a new program, SciFest All Access, coming to you virtually this summer! Participants of all ages can engage directly with the Festival’s sponsors and exhibitors to experience 100+ virtual STEM activities! This FREE virtual event will be a graphical depiction of the live Festival to include exhibitor booths, pavilions, and lounges with demonstrations, videos, games, and more.

Record a CTE Lesson for ETV

Be a Part of History!

The SCDE and ETV are looking for CTE teachers who are willing to have their lesson(s) recorded by ETV for broadcast.*

Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program

Girls Who Code’s free 2-week Virtual Summer Immersion Program (SIP) is going virtual!

Who is SIP for?
Current 9th, 10th, and 11th grade girls and non-binary students are eligible to apply

What is SIP?

Girls Who Code has hosted an in-person immersion coding program since 2012 in select cities. With the challenges presented by the COVID-19 health crisis, we have elected to move this transformative programming online, regardless of student location. Our modified 2-week virtual program teaches 9th–11th grade girls the computer science skills they need to make an impact in their community, while preparing for a career in tech.

Apply to Girls Who Code’s Virtual Summer Immersion Program for an unforgettable summer experience! During this FREE 2-week virtual program, you'll learn the computer science skills you need to make an impact, get an inside look into the tech field, and join a supportive lifelong sisterhood -- all while being virtually hosted by influential companies, like AT&T, Goldman Sachs, Disney, and more. Current 9th-11th grade girls and non-binary students are eligible to apply. Need-based stipends of up to $300 are available for those who qualify.

Applications are considered on a rolling basis, but classrooms are filling up fast! Apply today at girlswhocode.com/virtualsipform or learn more in a webinar.

Register now for CSPDWeek • July 20-24, 2020!

Choose from 10 different CS workshops for teachers of all grades and prior-experience levels. Invite your administrator, counselors and district leadership to attend a workshop specifically for them!

CSTA 2020 - Going Virtual

The National CSTA team has been closely monitoring the COVID-19 outbreak and the health and safety of our membership is our number one priority. After much consideration, we’ve decided to transition the 2020 CSTA Annual Conference to a virtual conference!

We’ve compiled everything you need to know about the CSTA 2020 transition on our website, which will serve as our hub for the most up-to-date information. Please refer to those FAQs for details on your specific event ticket.

If you’ve previously registered for the conference, received a scholarship, or are a conference presenter or partner please look out for another email from the CSTA team later today with additional information specific to your situation.

While the format may be different, we look forward to a great virtual conference — still created by teachers, for teachers — and can’t wait for you to join us the week of July 13, 2020. Registration will re-open in late April and we’ll be sharing more details with you in the coming weeks.

Be well and thank you for your continued support of CSTA,

Jake Baskin

CSTA Executive Director

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Makeblock mBlock Training

Makeblock has launched their education project, Makeblock STEAM On Board. We aim to help educators all over the world open the door to STEAM education and Computer Science with our top-notch hardware and software solutions.
The first phase of this new program will be 100% online. We know our teachers and parents are in need of easy to implement teaching resources NOW! To assist with distance learning, Makeblock created a digital curriculum that does not require hardware. Meeting CSTA & ISTE standards, we aim to create access to computer science and coding. This program is designed for you, the teacher or parent to join, watch, learn, and then share in the future with your students.
Over the next 8 weeks we will explore a set of activities that focus on developing basic programming skills, design skills and creative problem solving skills.
Join Makeblock and GET ON BOARD with STEAM!
Click the link below to sign up! After registration, you will be able to download your free coding resources!
You will receive follow up information later regarding your local live training webinar schedule.

Java Workshops from Oracle Academy

The Oracle Academy is offering virtual Java Fundamentals courses this summer. Learn more about these great workshops.

Student Video Competition for CTE Month

STEAM Camp at The Citadel • June 8-12 and June 15-19, 2020

Open to all rising 5th-8th grade students! Taught by highly-qualified Citadel faculty/cadets, this interdisciplinary camp offers a taste of the college experience with intensive, creative hands-on engagement combining cutting-edge science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Each week will cover different interdisciplinary topics. Scout merit badges available.

EBS Conference • June 22-25, 2020

2020 Education and Business Summit

Registration for the 2020 Education and Business Summit in Greenville is OPEN!

Monday, June 22 through Thursday, June 25!

Interested in presenting a session?

Submit a proposal by March 1st.

http://www.ebsummit.info/submit-a-proposal2.html

Register early by March 31 to receive the best possible registration fee.

http://www.ebsummit.info/registration-for-ebs.html

Visit the 2020 EBS Website for more informaiton.

http://www.ebsummit.info/home.html

Questions - Please contact Jakki Wiseman jwiseman@ed.sc.gov

Girls Go CyberStart Club • Special Offer for CSTA Members

The first 2000 CSTA members that register to run a Girls Go CyberStart Club will receive a pack of limited-edition GGCS posters for their classroom!*

Infusing Computing PD at The Citadel • July 27-30, 2020

Recruiting middle and high school teachers willing to learn and implement new and innovative pedagogies for infusing computational thinking into their content areas.

CRoCS PD at Clemson • June 9-12, 2020

The Culturally Responsive Computer Science (CRoCS) project at Clemson University will offer a professional development opportunity for South Carolina Computer Science teachers in summer 2020.

Code.org Spring PD Opportunities

Spring 2020 Professional Development Opportunities for Computer Science

CS Discoveries and CS Principles Training

Please register using the link below, ALL are welcome but those teachers who attended Summer 2019 PD have priority.

**You can attend Part 3/4 even if you did not attend Part 1/2**

PGCTF Cybersecurity Comptetition • February 22, 2020

PGCTF is an annual, entirely student-run cybersecurity competition held by Porter-Gaud School on Feb 22. High School (or advanced middle school) students invited to form a team and register. All levels from beginner to advanced. It's free!

http://pgctf.portergaud.edu/

September 28, 2019 • CSTA Day

As we transition, during the 2019-2020 school year, to ALL high school students required to take Computer Science (not keyboarding) for graduation, we want to make sure that teachers and students have all the resources they need.

Please join us on September 28, 2019 for sessions related to teaching and learning Computer Science and computational thinking.

Code.org Fall PD Opportunities

Code.org is hosting multiple 1-day workshops across the state this fall for CS Discoveries and CS Principles.

Update your Membership

All Lowcountry CSTA and CSTA South Carolina members need to update their membership by following these instructions.

Start a CS Honor Society in your School

Are you looking for an opportunity to keep your students engaged outside the classroom? CSTA is thrilled to offer educators across the United States the opportunity to start a Computer Science Honor Society (CSHS) in their high schools. This CSTA program encourages secondary students’ enthusiasm for computer science, honors academic excellence, and promotes service.

By starting a chapter at your school, you will instill the program’s three core values in your students; recognize students who excel in computer science; provide student leadership opportunities, and support your school and community through meaningful service. Read more about the program and start an application today!