Technology continues to evolve, yet this generation seems unwilling to evolve with it. True, teenagers are infatuated with the newest iPhone, but only the lucky few actually have an interest in its inner workings. This is largely due to an under-emphasis on technology. Computer science is nothing more than a vague concept for many students. In a media-dominated culture that idolizes athletes and entertainers, computer science may not seem glamorous or worthwhile to students. In short, athletic and cultural groups reign; academic activities fall to the wayside. When schools make computer science fun and relevant, it becomes a tangible and desirable possibility for students. Kids who love playing video games might be interested in going “behind the scenes” -- the Angry Birds themed coding game presented during The Hour of Code could be a big hit! A budding artist might be enraptured by Autodesk or Adobe. And students who think computer science and athletics don’t mesh have obviously never seen a RoboCup soccer match. Regardless of the situation, it’s important to show kids how math and science play a role in their everyday lives. I envision a program that allows minority students in high school involved with STEM to mentor minority students in elementary school. This interaction provides young students with role models with similar cultural and ethnic backgrounds. It converts the possibility of a future in science from a geeky, unfeasible option to an exciting, realistic goal. Schools and organizations would need to help provide the resources necessary to build curricular and extracurricular programs targeting these minority students. Mentors help young students complete projects different projects, such as coding a simple progr... ... middle of paper ... ...mates to ask, upon seeing my class schedule, “Avery, are you even Black?” or “Why aren’t there any girls in your classes?”) It’s not uncommon for a student to sacrifice his or her interests due to a lack of support. One of the most valuable skills for students to have is the confidence to persevere and prove their critics wrong. Thus, it is important that mentors are a positive force throughout students’ lives. Just as student mentors are willing to assist elementary school students, corporations and individual professionals must be willing to assist high school and college students. Allotting time and money to those trying to make an impact is a vital step that must be taken. The consequences of this step is well worth the expense, however. By making computer science a part of a student’s day-to-day life, any negative stigma associated with STEM will be lifted.
The first piece of technology that was introduced to me was the amazing, ground-breaking GameBoy created by Nintendo. My parents believed that my obsession with video games in my juvenile years would be the cause of my downfall when I would become an adult with no job, no money, and still lived with my parents. I admit that I did have an addiction in the beginning, but over the years it moderated as I became more attracted to what was actually done to develop the devices and programs that once ensnared me. Enrolling into a vocational high school, I selected Programming & Web Development as my choice of trade in order for me to learn more about this extraordinary field of science. Soon I began compiling my own applications, but with a method unorthodox compared to my classmates; I believed that the vivid aesthetics and simple navigation displayed on applications were just as crucial as the tediously compiled, intricate code virtually hidden underneath. With every annual keynote that was broadcasted from numerous Silicon Valley companies, their latest innovations constantly entertained my curiosity. Advancing as an upperclassmen, I entered into challenging courses and incessantly researched innumerable universities as I began to devise a plan of recruitment for the companies of the Bay Area. Enrolling into a university that is passionate about the
Gifted and talented programs are intrinsically valuable to many children’s education as they provide a system in which all students involved are engaged, challenged, and intellectually stimulated. In "How People Learn", Donovan, Bransford, and Pellegrino (1999) stress the importance of each student being given reasonable and appropriate goals based on his or her level of understanding and competency (p. 20). Gifted and talented programs help institutionalize the attempt to meet all student’s needs by providing uniquely appropriate challenges which aim to keep every student engaged, thus receiving the best chance at success. Although there are many valuable and important aspects of gifted education, there are also significant issues rooted in the base of America’s gifted and talented programs, one of which I will address throughout this paper. In my opinion, the most notable problem which troubles gifted and talented programs is the system by which students are selected to join their school’s gifted and talented program.
The intent of this project was to promote gender equity in STEM coursework providing all students enhanced postsecondary opportunities. Working with a predominantly Hispanic, low SES freshman population, inteventions became more all-encompassing and a way to advocate for all students who expressed interest in STEM-related fields. Comprehensive school counseling programs are important components of a school’s closing the gap strategies. Low performing schools such as this small rural junior senior high school that are on state improvement plans are looking for effective and creative ways to promote academic achievement.
Abstract: This paper examines the gender divide in computer science. Computer science is a relatively new field, but still has few females involved in it. Numbers seemed to be on the climb for a while only to dwindle back down. Stereotypes and media play a large role in discouraging women, but some universities are trying to change this by encouraging women. Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) has made some significant increases in women enrolled in computer science. A change of some kind is needed so we can create a more diverse group of programmers. That may be the key to the next big breakthrough in the field.
It is true that freedom to think is essential during the students’ development. When I started to study computer science in the United States, I have ...
In my Hispanic neighborhood of Little Village, you don’t see many teens succeeding to their highest potential. Students are known to drop out of their high school, get pregnant at a young age, or join a gang. I come from a community where only one out of hundreds of students are chosen to attend a selective enrollment high school. Few of those students are interested in pursuing STEM fields, such as computer science or mathematics. My plan is to follow my interest in science and work in biology and the physical sciences.
Posner (2004, p. 36) discusses the importance of understanding the situational factors that lead to the development of a particular curriculum. This curriculum has been created as a response to the problem of technology skills and resources being typically isolated as a separate curriculum, rather than being integrated into the broader curricular areas. This leads to curricula that are often devoid of 21st century skills needed by students to ensure future success (Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2004). The goal of the curriculum, therefore, is to focus on specific technology skills that can be readily integrated into other curricular areas without sacrificing critical objectives within those curricula and, in fact, enhancing the relevance and levels of engagement in those areas.
Maybe America’s educational leaders don’t understand what computer science is, which is why they don’t place enough emphasis on this invaluable skill for now and the future. Less than 7 percent of the state’s high schools offer courses in the important science.
This class has opened my mind to the incredible impact that STEM Education can have on our society. I do not work in an institution that has a STEM program. I work at a preschool; this makes my practice of any type of STEM program extremely limited. However, it is a private school. All my students come from households where one or both of their parents are professionals. These professionals want their children to be academically prepared for school. This means we must academically, mentally, and emotionally prepare them for their future schooling. I teach my students how to be a functioning participant in a classroom while exploring mathematics, science, art, history, literature and pre-writing. Puzzles, counting, shapes, measuring, etc. are on the daily agenda. Science is a huge part of our curriculum. Science in the
When I was in middle school, I had totally no idea of what Computer Science is, but I was pretty proficient in using computers at that age. The only thing that I knew about Computer Science is that one of my aunts is in that field and that’s all, nor of my parents are in that major. Not until in High School that I got the sense of what programming is like. I was taught basic simple codings and I really enjoyed it and thought that the class was actually quite fun. But the class didn’t give me any sense of the important real-world applications of Computer Science. Not until recently as I am in the Computer Science major, I started to really have the real idea and to gain real passion for the field. Computer Science is not all about programming.
With technology rapidly changing as fast as we blink our eyes, it is important for people to learn as much as possible about the computer world if they want to maintain a decent lifestyle because the world we live in revolving around those technologies. As McKee points out, “most jobs now require intelligence and technical skill” (1). Each year, there is something either added or modified to computers, which forces people to learn computer literacy at a steady pace. While some love computers, others despise them. When comparing people’s attitudes towards computers, statistics show a gender gap that proves most females’ attitudes are drastically different from the attitudes of males. Several studies prove that women not only lack an interest in technology, but they also chose not to enroll in computer classes. Since computers and technology play an enormous role in the world today, more technology professionals are needed. It is extremely important for more women to become knowledgeable in these areas. Swain and Harvey argue, “This technology gender gap is affecting half our population and causing it to be unprepared to contribute to the demands of a high-tech twenty-first century” (17). While this may not seem like a serious issue to some, it is an issue that will ultimately lead to a bigger problem if not handled immediately. So why are there so few women in the technology field? To answer that question, I must first find out why are there so few women in the technology and computer classes, considering that this atmosphere is the most common place where the interest for computers is born.
Fifteen years ago, I proudly walked across the stage at Milwaukee Trade & Techincal High School, having victoriously earned my High School Diploma. At that time, I was only naively aware of the road that lied ahead. I would soon begin the pursuit of a degree in Computer Science at Marquette University, but my first semester would be interrupted by legal troubles and further hindered by the untimely realization that I’d prefer not to spend the rest of my life “alone in a room,” performing what I had begun to perceive as the tedious and antisocial task of computer programming.
Rosalind Brewer is the Chief Executive Officer of Sam’s Club. However, many do not know that her undergraduate area of study was chemistry. After graduating from Spelman College in 1984, Brewer took a job as a chemist with Kimberly-Clark, working in a lab. (Daniels). Five years later, she made the transition to the business side. She worked at Kimberly-Clark for twenty-two years. She gradually became the president of the global nonwoven fabrics business. In 2006, Walmart invited her to head stores in Georgia. Brewer benefited the business by raising their profits and eventually became president of Walmart’s United States East business unit. She was responsible for more than one hundred billion dollars in revenue (Daniels). She is now one of the nine executives who report directly to Walmart’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael T. Duke. In 2012, Brewer was named one of “The World’s 100 Most Powerful Women” by Forbes magazine, which is a highly respectable title. Brewer does not ignore her STEM background. She credits her chemistry degree with sharpening her analytical skills and helping her to stand out in the business world. Individuals entering the workforce can expect to move throughout various job and career fields over their lifetime. Knowing how to learn and think critically is becoming more important than learning a particular occupation, or vocational training. A STEM education combined with a liberal arts education can open doors to multiple job and career opportunities, as well as prepare workers for an ever-changing job market.
Logic and Problem Solving: some people study Computer Science just because they feel that they could matter (fame) and think like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, Charles Babbage, Michael Faraday, Bill Gate when they study Computer
My undergraduate preparation at the Computer Science of my University has given me a very substantial knowledge of the basic areas of Computer Science. Any amount of learning in Computer Science would be incomplete without hands on experience of Programming. In a world where...