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CSTA
As Computer Science teachers, we can all testify that we have spent hours developing our "hard skills" and using them in the classroom and beyond. Chances are a STEM professional will have been nurtured on computational thinking, mathematics, science and the like, often neglecting the importance of communication, social grace, friendliness and other EQ-related traits. Lately however there's been a lot of talk about the importance of "soft skills" in the new workplace and "collaboration" is the new keyword in STEM circles.
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GeekWire
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella welcomed a group of teachers to the company's Redmond, Wash., campus talking to them about the ways Microsoft products can be used in the classroom. As a father of two daughters, Nadella said he's particularly sensitive to the challenges teachers face in trying to get female students involved in computer science programs. He said there are all sorts of cultural biases that keep certain groups away, but there are ways to change that. "It requires us to think differently in terms of what programs, what kind of assignments, even, will attract a more diverse population into computer science," Nadella said, adding that Minecraft is one such tool.
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Calling all hackers, coders, and technical high school women and the educators who support them! Applications for the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing and the NCWIT Educator Award are now open!
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EurActiv
The digital industry is increasingly being asked to assist educational providers in making computer science learning more engaging for students. Lack of digital skills will result in a shortfall of 900,000 jobs within the sector by 2020, says Jon Steinberg.
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USA Today
Code.org, the nonprofit that offers free online lessons in computer programming to students from kindergarten to high school, is tapping the power of the force to reach more young people, especially girls. Riding the Death Star-sized anticipation for next month's opening of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", students will take a one-hour tutorial from Princess Leia or Rey on how to build their own Star Wars games and program the droids R2-D2, C-3PO and BB-8. "By featuring powerful heroines Leia and Rey in this fun computer programming tutorial, we hope to inspire students of all backgrounds to try learning this foundational field," said Hadi Partovi, CEO of Code.org.
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IEEE TryComputing.org offers free educator resources to help students build computing skills and explore computing careers. Find a wide range of interactive computing lesson plans for students ages 8-18. Lessons topics include programming, concurrency, networking, encryption, artificial intelligence, and more! All lesson plans are aligned to national education standards.
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Samsung for Education
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As schools adopt mobile technology at an unprecedented pace, the need for best-in-class mobile devices, support and services is growing rapidly. Samsung Mobile is committed to supporting mobile-first initiatives, offering a comprehensive portfolio of enterprise solutions.
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Gizmodo
Code.org recently launched a "Star Wars"-themed "Hour of Code" tutorial, and today they're geeking it up a notch: a brand-new program is based in the world of Minecraft. The tutorial is the result of a partnership between Microsoft and Code.org, a site that seeks to make coding more accessible. Code.org wants to expand access to computer science for everyone, and has an emphasis on upping levels of participation for "women and underrepresented students of color."
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eSchool News
You know the maker movement has hit the big leagues when even the President is talking about it. Earlier this year, for the National Week of Making, President Barack Obama issued a call to action to educators, designers, and makers of all stripes. "During National Week of Making, we celebrate the tinkerers and dreamers whose talent and drive have brought new ideas to life, and we recommit to cultivating the next generation of problem solvers," he said. "As the maker movement grows, I continue to call on all Americans to help unlock the potential of our Nation and ensure these opportunities reach all our young people, regardless of who they are or where they come from." It's a great vision but what does it actually mean for the teachers in the classroom?
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PayScale
There's no reason to beat around the bush or sugarcoat it: STEM has a woman problem and it has for a while now. However, here's a bit of good news: Stanford University recently announced that, for the first time in the university's history, computer science is the top major for female students this year. Yeah, you read that right. Stanford University officials told Reuters that "214 women are majoring in computer science, accounting for about 30 percent of majors in that department." Following directly behind computer science is human biology with 208 female majors, which was the most popular major for women previously.
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Fortune via The Huffington Post
Education. There are just not enough women graduating with the science, technology, engineering and math skills needed to become the next generation of leaders. Today, technology is disrupting virtually every industry in every country around the world. And as we look ahead, it's clear that more and more jobs will require STEM skills, including computer science. By 2020, in the U.S. alone, there will be 1.2 million jobs requiring computer-related skills. This should offer amazing opportunities for people in computer science and with other relevant skills, regardless of gender
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