e? As independent schools, we are often quick to subscribe to a national cu=
rriculum. Looking that the AP computer science program, why offer the class=
?
Being involved in educational technology research at the University of Nort=
h Texas, we are often in need of bits of code for projects we are developin=
g. While we all have some programming background, virtually none of us want=
to spend the time writing code. Why? Because this is something we can outs=
ource. If you look at the trends surrounding program development, the codin=
g is often outsourced while the big ideas are developed by those who are wo=
rking in creative environments. In many ways, we outsource our coding in th=
e same way that typing was outsourced to typing pools. While not exactly th=
e same, basic coding skills are similar in application to the way typing po=
ols worked in days of old. The amount of programming that is now outsourced=
to China and India is amazing. We usually outsource to an undergraduate st=
udent.
We need our students to develop critical, creative and collaborative proble=
m solving skills. The process of learning how to program is an important sk=
ill as it is another way to think creatively. But ask yourself; is this bes=
t done in a rigid AP Computer Science curriculum? I can think of many creat=
ive ways we could help our students develop the skills needed to thrive in =
world that they are entering. Programming would be very helpful as a tool s=
et. But why not wrap it in the context of real-world problem solving? Why n=
ot place it in context rather than creating another knowledge silo?
If I ran the world, I would not worry about the AP designation for a comput=
er class and instead, focus on hiring the most creative teacher I could fin=
d to develop and teach a collaborative problem-solving course that involved=
programming as well as global collaboration. For those that just have to t=
ake an AP computer class, I would outsource that to on online environment o=
r better yet, suggest that the student take a course at the nearest college=
as a junior or senior and receive actual college credit.
My 2 cents...
Cheers,
Chris Bigenho
Chris Bigenho
Director of Educational Technology
Greenhill School
4141 Spring Valley Road
Addison, TX 75001
Ph. 972-628-5479
Fx. 972-628-5279
bigenhoc@greenhill.org
www.greenhill.org
AIM: chris bigenho
Yahoo: chris_bigenho
Skype: chris_bigenho
Tapped In: ChrisWB
-----Original Message-----
From: A forum for independent school educators [mailto:ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.=
EDU] On Behalf Of Duff, Carole
Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 10:27 AM
To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: AP Computer Science
Greetings all!
We are trying to build a computer science program, however, at this
point, we do not have the numbers to justify hiring a teacher. We have
tried to find a teacher who could teach AP Computer Science along with
other classes (ex. Math, Science) but to little or no avail. Of course,
computer science majors have dropped over the past two decades, so it's
not surprising that hiring qualified teachers in this area is difficult.
Is anyone involved in an online consortium or something that would
provide quality AP Computer Science instruction? We're investigating
now since we have students taking intro tech and programming classes,
and we'd like to be able to provide an option for those who wish to
pursue higher-level studies.
Thanks for your help!
-C.D.
Carole Duff
Curriculum Technologist
Notre Dame Preparatory School
815 Hampton Lane
Towson, MD. 21286
410-825-6202 ext. 1022
443-921-2880 (direct)
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