The Wisconsin Chapter of CSTA is always busy promoting computer science in Wisconsin.
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The Wisconsin Chapter of CSTA is always busy promoting computer science in Wisconsin. For the past four years, they have held a CS Summit for all Wisconsin computer science K-12 educators, technology coordinators, curriculum directors, and administrators. The goal is to inspire computer science professionals and continue the important work of building CS opportunities for all students. The CS Summit provides the largest gathering of computer science educators in the state. Guest speakers in the past have included top computer science professionals at the national level including Ruthie Farmer, Dan Garcia, Colleen Lewis, Owen Astrachan, Gail Chapman, Jill Westerlund, and others.
Traditionally the CS Summit has been in May alongside the annual Wisconsin Math Conference but is now being offered in the fall. This year’s CS Summit is set for Thursday, Nov. 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay. This new timeframe will allow teachers to implement the items discovered throughout the school year.The 2019 format has also changed to allow for more workshops at each grade level. This year they are offering twelve different workshops all presented by local teachers and professionals. The CS Summit workshops this year include:
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CS for K-8
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CS Discoveries
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New APCS-A Resources
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CS For All – Teacher Resources
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Wearable Tech
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Adafruit
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Strategies for Engaging your District in Systemic Implementation of CS
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APCS-Principles Resources
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App Inventor
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TEALS
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Project GUTS
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Cyber Security
The new format also allows time for networking with other computer science teachers. Often when teaching computer science, you might be the only person at your school or even district. As professionals, we value the time working with other computer science teachers and know the importance of communicating with others. The day will end with a “Tech Slam”, a short, high energy demo of tech apps, skills, or ideas. There is also an optional tour of Titletown Tech. TitletownTech is a one-of-a-kind partnership between the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft Corp. aimed at boosting economic expansion by bringing world-class digital innovations and expertise to Greater Green Bay. This fall there are approximately 100 Wisconsin computer science teachers, administrators, and professionals attending the CS Summit.
Wisconsin CSTA appreciates the importance of starting computer science at a younger age and also provides other professional development opportunities throughout the summer and school year through PUMP-CS. Those opportunities also include Code.org’s CS Fundamentals and CS Discoveries, ECS – Exploring Computer Science, Beauty and Joy of Computing, and AP CS-Principles. More information about the Wisconsin Dairyland CSTA and the annual CS Summit can be found here.