Maybe our kids aren’t so screwed after all….

[Coronita]

Kid comes home today from school today..

Bunch of kids at school playing in technology class today with http://code.org

Basic if then else, looping, concepts…

Kid’s next question was, is that what you do at work?

Cool….It’s a start….Game on…..

[NotCranky]

That post is just a little too self indulgent flu, have some pity on the rest of us with stupid kids in lousy schools.

[Coronita]

[quote=Blogstar]That post is just a little too self indulgent flu, have some pity on the rest of us with stupid kids in lousy schools.[/quote]

It’s free to join 🙂

also,

https://www.change.org/petitions/make-computer-science-count-for-college-admission-in-california-2

California is known as a world leader in driving the digital age through computing and the information technology sector. Yet, few K-12 students have access to high-quality computer science education in the state. A key obstacle is that rigorous, college-preparatory computer science courses do not satisfy a core mathematics or science admission requirement for either the University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) system. We are seeking that computer science satisfy a core requirement for college admissions.

Computer science is driving job growth and innovation throughout California’s economy and society. By 2018, California will need to fill 517,890 computing-related jobs – about half of a total of 1.1 million STEM jobs. These occupations dominate “help wanted” ads, and computer science is one of the most lucrative and hottest degrees for new college graduates. Rigorous computer science courses develop students’ computational and critical thinking skills and teach them how to create—not just use—new technologies. This fundamental knowledge is needed to prepare students for the 21st century, regardless of their ultimate field of study or occupation.

The limited access to K-12 computer science education in California creates serious gender and equity issues for underserved minorities. Of all California AP Computer Science test takers in 2010-11, only 21% were female, less than 1% were African-American and only 8% were Latino (despite the fact that Latinos make up the majority of California’s public school students). A study by the Computer Science Teachers Association found that the most important factor in whether young women and students of color choose to take computer science is if it counts towards a high school graduation requirement.

Computer science courses do not currently count towards core high school graduation requirements in California—they are treated as electives. Moreover, neither the University of California (UC) nor the California State University (CSU) campuses count computer science as satisfying a mathematics or science requirement towards admission; at best computer science counts as a college-prep elective. Given other academic demands, most college-bound students don’t afford themselves the time to take computer science, nor do students on a vocational pathway.

We are seeking to count computer science as a core subject requirement—mathematics “C” or science “D”—for admission to UC and CSU, rather than as an elective—“G” credit. This change would not require schools to offer computer science or require all students to study it – that is, high school graduation requirements would not change – but would simply allow computer science courses to satisfy existing core college admissions requirements. This change would, on the other hand, encourage students to take computer science and thereby become prepared with 21st century skills for our knowledge-based economy.

To learn more about making computer science count nationally, visit code.org.
For specific information about why it’s important to make computer science count in California, visit access-ca.org – the Alliance for California Computing Education for Students and Schools.

And

http://code.org/promote/ca

California State Facts

77,309 open computing jobs
(growing at 4.3x the state average)
4,324 computer science graduates
311 schools teach computer science

[NotCranky]

Interesting. One of my nerds may fit in well with something like this.Maybe the one who aces the state exams. Options are good.

[Coronita]

[quote=Blogstar]Interesting. One of my nerds may fit in well with something like this.Maybe the one who aces the state exams. Options are good.[/quote]

It’s actually not a bad deal.. Computers are pretty cheap now. Knowledge is pretty much out there, and plenty of tutorials/self taught materials are out there in the open, along with code…

Maybe tedious for a lot of people though.

[NotCranky]

[quote=flu][quote=Blogstar]Interesting. One of my nerds may fit in well with something like this.Maybe the one who aces the state exams. Options are good.[/quote]

It’s actually not a bad deal.. Computers are pretty cheap now. Knowledge is pretty much out there, and plenty of tutorials/self taught materials are out there in the open, along with code…

Maybe tedious for a lot of people though.[/quote]
This kids OCD favors tedium. Time to get him off legos and mine craft anyway.
Thanks, You want to sponsor/ mentor him? LOL

[Coronita]

[quote=Blogstar][quote=flu][quote=Blogstar]Interesting. One of my nerds may fit in well with something like this.Maybe the one who aces the state exams. Options are good.[/quote]

It’s actually not a bad deal.. Computers are pretty cheap now. Knowledge is pretty much out there, and plenty of tutorials/self taught materials are out there in the open, along with code…

Maybe tedious for a lot of people though.[/quote]
This kids OCD favors tedium. Time to get him off legos and mine craft anyway.
Thanks, You want to sponsor/ mentor him? LOL[/quote]

Legos aren’t bad… You just need the right ones…
🙂

[NotCranky]

He likes that …doesn’t own one, but we have gotten him in an after school class.
What do you think about this?

http://www.flowol.com

[Coronita]

[quote=Blogstar]He likes that …doesn’t own one, but we have gotten him in an after school class.
What do you think about this?

http://www.flowol.com[/quote%5D

don’t know… My kid’s still too young for it…Will check it out….

[NotCranky]

[quote=flu][quote=Blogstar]He likes that …doesn’t own one, but we have gotten him in an after school class.
What do you think about this?

http://www.flowol.com[/quote%5D

don’t know… My kid’s still too young for it…Will check it out….[/quote]
I just saw that the flowol stuff has Spanish options , which is cool for my family. Why the hell not a Chinese option ?
Just kidding.

[Coronita]

[quote=Blogstar][quote=flu][quote=Blogstar]He likes that …doesn’t own one, but we have gotten him in an after school class.
What do you think about this?

http://www.flowol.com[/quote%5D

don’t know… My kid’s still too young for it…Will check it out….[/quote]
I just saw that the flowol stuff has Spanish options , which is cool for my family. Why the hell not a Chinese option ?
Just kidding.[/quote]

lol

[NotCranky]

I am glad you got me thinking about this. Turns out my kid did everything in the flowol 30 day free package, not to say that it is very hard, but he’s interested.

He is 10 and with January and Feb. enrollment periods coming up it might be good to think of finding a better match of school for him. At the least we should try to keep him close to computer science technology via some club and some of these things we can do at home.

I’ll be honest, I have thought on occasion that he is my most Asian looking kid, Round head, broad nose, big teeth, there is even a slant to his eyes! The other two are full on redheads… so there’s no competition.

[The-Shoveler]

Some of the best engineers I have ever worked with have been Blondes and redheads.

[NotCranky]

[quote=The-Shoveler]Some of the best engineers I have ever worked with have been Blondes and redheads.[/quote]

I am just joking around ,of course it’s a stereotype. Should have quit while I was ahead probably. He does show the most interest in the topic at hand though.

[Coronita]

[quote=Blogstar]I am glad you got me thinking about this. Turns out my kid did everything in the flowol 30 day free package, not to say that it is very hard, but he’s interested.

He is 10 and with January and Feb. enrollment periods coming up it might be good to think of finding a better match of school for him. At the least we should try to keep him close to computer science technology via some club and some of these things we can do at home.

I’ll be honest, I have thought on occasion that he is my most Asian looking kid, Round head, broad nose, big teeth, there is even a slant to his eyes! The other two are full on redheads… so there’s no competition.[/quote]

Lol.. Actually, a lot of the elite tech geeks, in case you haven’t noticed, are white….

Of you go to any geekfest (like Google I/O), it will be an eye opener because it’s pretty equal opportunity thing…

The only reason maybe why you don’t see much about it, is the education system isn’t really pushing that much into STEMS in most schools…yet…..

It doesn’t help we still have people clamouring about the threat of outsourcing, india, china, (insert your favorite low cost labor country here) discouraging participation either.

[Author]

Posts