No Such Thing: Education in the Digital Age

A Keynote from the 2020 To Code and Beyond event at NY's Cornell Tech.Kamau Bobb is a national authority in STEM education. He is the founding Senior Director of the Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech. He is an engineer and science and technology policy scholar whose work focuses on the relationship between equity for students and communities of color in the STEM enterprise, large educational systems, and the social and structural conditions that influence contemporary American life.He brings to his current position a wealth of experience as a former Program Officer at the National Science Foundation (NSF). At NSF he was responsible for $30 million annually of investments targeted on improving computing and STEM education. In that role, Bobb worked at the highest levels of the federal government to help shape the national research agenda for effective means of delivering equitable and quality computational education to all students. He has worked with members of the Office and Science and Technology Policy in the Obama Administration to set the national strategy for STEM education at both post-secondary and secondary school levels. He was selected as a member of President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper STEM + Entrepreneurship Taskforce to help U.S. cities craft strategies to engage young men and boys of color in the STEM landscape.Prior to his federal appointment, Bobb was the Director of the STEM Initiative for the University System of Georgia, a collaborative effort with the governor’s office to improve STEM education across the 30 public institutions serving approximately 325,000 students in the state. Bobb brings to STEM education a fierce commitment to equity as an indicator of justice. He has addressed and advised numerous leading tech sector companies, universities, and k-12 schools. His writing on STEM education and culture has been featured in The Atlantic, Black Enterprise, The Root, Edutopia and on the Obama White House Blog. His national and state leadership have contributed to a STEM education agenda that is more honest and reflective of contemporary social and cultural realities. Bobb holds a Ph.D. in Science and Technology Policy from Georgia Tech and M.S. and B.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Atlanta with his wife, Lisa, and daughter, Sadira. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travis Thul is the Founder of Bicycle Design & Fabrication at MN State College Southeast. Thul was also the engineering technology program coordinator at the Community College of Baltimore County in Catonsville, Md., but he didn’t stop there – he went on to become an electronics engineer at the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C., in charge of research on wireless power transfer. And, he’s a Coast Guard veteran, where he serves as lieutenant commander in the reserves. In 2017, he was honored as a “Rising Star Under 40” for the 7 Rivers Region of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.Notes from this episode:Bicycle Design & Fab at MN State College: http://www.southeastmn.edu/academics/program.aspx?p=89Redwing, MN: https://redwing.org/State-of-the-art manufacturing lab completed at MSCS: https://www.news8000.com/state-of-the-art-manufacturing-lab-completed-at-mscs/Cover photo by: https://www.flickr.com/photos/marufish/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our conversation here takes place at the National Summit for Excel In Ed - from their website, Launched by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in 2008, the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd) supports state leaders in transforming education to unlock opportunity and lifelong success for each and every child.I was grateful to join my colleagues from NAF (known widely as the National Academy Foundation) in hosting a roundtable discussion at the conference aimed at illuminating new practices in credentialing, in this case one that is local to where we gathered in San Diego, CA. My guests, Alec and Carissa, represent Del Lago academy, only 30 minutes north of where we sat together in a windowless ballroom only a hundred yards or so from the harbor. My first episode with Alec - number 28 - was titled "If Grades Were Hyperlinks" and is one of the most downloaded episodes of the show. When I found out that we'd be in San Diego to discuss credentialing, I had to reach out and see if we could get an update and hear - more than a year after the initial episode - how Del Lago is fairing with this project, which even in the most forward-thinking school district would be a scuffle to reframe the purpose and tactics with which we recognize learners' acquisition of skills. Carissa Duran is an Aurora Institute, Personalized Learning, Teacher of the Year and Guest Teacher at Del Lago AcademyCarissa Duran is a teacher and instructional coach for literacy, language development, and educational technology at Del Lago Academy in California. She is committed to educational justice and uses innovative pedagogy and assessment practices to improve the engagement, empowerment, and success of historically marginalized students.Alec Barron is the founding Principal Investigator for Competency X, and is a curriculum and professional learning specialist in the Escondido (California) Union High School District. He completed a social justice-based Education Doctorate in Leadership for Educational Equity with the University of Colorado Denver. Dr. Barron leads Competency X, an assessment practice for workforce-informed performance tasks that was developed to broaden access to college and career opportunities. The “X” is how learners choose to curate evidence of their learning and reflect on how it represents success with competencies. The idea was developed at Del Lago Academy in Escondido, California, to help students access the life science workforce. Currently, the project is using a Phase 2 award, with funding by the Bill & Melinda Gates and Hewlett foundations to pilot a competency-based articulation approach to broaden access to college credit and paid internships for high school students.Notes from this Episode:Competency X: https://www.competencyx.com/Excel In Ed: https://www.excelined.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Project Invent, high school students invent technologies that solve real-world problems. We train mentors, publish resources, run events, and connect communities to ensure students are getting a transformative learning opportunity through inventing a change. "Inventing Change," doesn't that sound more like the class you'd envision for young learners in the digital age?Project Invent empowers students with the 21st century skills to succeed individually and impact globally. The goal is to create a generation of fearless problem solvers.Connie LiuFounder, Project InventConnie is a mechanical engineer from MIT, passionate educator, and founder of Project Invent. She most recently taught design thinking & engineering at The Nueva School. Now, she runs Project Invent to inspire high school students nationwide to invent technologies that make a difference. She is also an inventor herself, creating assistive technologies to empower those with disabilities.Justin BuysJustin Buys is a student in Apex, North Carolina, who has a passion for engineering and computer sciences. Justin has spent over 4 years learning and working with Autodesk applications. Currently he is part of a team working to create assistive products for people with ambulatory disabilities. In his spare time he enjoys mountain biking, reading, and working with his Boy Scout troop. Sambo MockbeeClaire PowellClaire Powell is studying engineering and business at Illinois Institute of Technology. During high school, Claire participated in robotics, rebuilt an engine, and customized a motorcycle. She is currently participating in a model airplane competition and works on the propulsion team. Her favorite type of music is heavy metal, and she loves the snow.Project Invent: Project Invent: https://projectinvent.org/Connie Lieu, Forbes 30-Under-30, Education: https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30/2020/education/#64c427ebe6ebThe documentary is called "Citizen Architect". Here's a link to it's website: http://citizenarchitectfilm.com/index.phpAlso its Amazon page: https://amazon.com/Citizen-Architect-Samuel-Mockbee-Spirit/dp/B07G9N2TV8/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=citizen+architect&qid=1571273935&sr=8-1POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome): https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16560-postural-orthostatic-tachycardia-syndrome-pots Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ryan Craig is the author of The New U: Faster + Cheaper Alternatives to College, which was called one of the books of the year in 2018 by The Wall Street Journal, and College Disrupted, the Great Unbundling of Higher Education. He's a decades-in veteran to the worlds of business consulting and venture capital, and is the Co-Founder of University Ventures, which funds projects working to better source the talent needs of a modern economy. You can learn more about University Ventures at universityventures.com. Links from this episode:Talent Path: https://talentpath.com/Riipen: https://riipen.com/Ryan Craig: http://universityventures.com/team.phpOpen Campus: https://www.opencampusmedia.org/The Crush: https://www.crushpodcast.com/The New U: https://www.amazon.com/New-Faster-Cheaper-Alternatives-College/dp/1946885479Alternativestocollege.comGapletter.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm fascinated by this analogy that came up in a recent episode about being dropped in a new place without language. So I want this episode to be a travel guide. Let's drop into different places and talk about what makes the languages of code relevant in that space.Meg Ray is a computer science education consultant. Meg teaches education courses at NYU and Hunter College. She was the founding Teacher in Residence at Cornell Tech were she was responsible for the design and implementation of a coaching program for K-8 CS teachers in New York City schools. Meg is an experienced high school computer science teacher and curriculum developer. She served as a writer for the CSTA K-12 CS Standards and the CSTA/ISTE CS Educator Standards and as a special advisor to the K12 CS Framework. She conducts research related to teaching CS to students with disabilities and CS teacher preparation. Recently, the Python Software Foundation awarded her a grant to develop a user-friendly site that can serve as a hub for Python education. Meg is the author of the book Code This Game!Notes from this episode:Book, "Because Internet: https://gretchenmcculloch.com/book/AIforall.org: http://ai-4-all.org/Computer History Museum: https://computerhistory.org/Living Computer Museum in Seattle: https://livingcomputers.org/Grace Hopper: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_HopperChibi Clip by Chibitronics: https://chibitronics.com/shop/chibi-clip/MakeCode: https://makecode.com/aboutJi Qui: http://technolojie.com/NexMap.org: http://www.nexmap.org/Keith Zoo, artist: https://keithzoo.com/Odd Dot.com: https://www.odddot.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A discussion among a unique group of K12 leaders in CA building a brand-new middle school with future pathways at the center of their design.Kristin McKennaDirector of College and Career ReadinessMadera Unified School DistrictKRISTINMCKENNA@maderausd.orgKristin McKenna is the Director of College and Career Readiness for Madera Unified and has been with Madera Unified since 2009 when she was hired as an Agriculture Teacher at Madera South High School. In 2015 Kristin became the Coordinator of College and Career Readiness and moved to the Director role in July 2018.  In these roles Kristin supports the teachers in Madera Unified’s 25 career pathways, and helps build industry partnerships to align with the courses.  She manages all of the CTE specific funding and is responsible for writing new grants as they become available. Kristin received her Bachelors of Science Degree and Teaching Credential at Fresno State University, her Masters in Agriculture Education from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and her Administration Credential through Madera County Office of Education.Alyson RoccoPrincipalMadera Technical Exploration Center (Madera TEC)Madera Unified School Districtalysonrocco@maderausd.orgAlyson Rocco is Principal at the Madera Technical Exploration Center - “Madera TEC.” She was a Madera High School graduate and is returning to the district after fifteen years in Clovis Unified, ten as a classroom teacher and five in administration. Alyson taught kindergarten, first, second and fifth grade at James S. Fugman Elementary School then moved to the Guidance Instructional Specialist (aka Vice Principal) there. She was then promoted to a Learning Director at Clovis North Educational Center which serves 7th-12th grade students. Alyson oversaw English, Academic Block, Drama, Choir, Forensics and CTE Education Pathway.Alyson received her Bachelors of Arts and Teaching Credential at San Diego State University, her Masters in Education from Fresno State University, and her Administrative Credential through Fresno County Office of Education. Theron CosgraveSenior ConsultantSwanson & Cosgrave Consulting (www.swansonandcosgrave.com)cosgrave@sbcglobal.netTheron Cosgrave (aka “Cos”) is a national consultant who works with educators on a wide range of issues including project-based learning, curriculum development, school design, leadership development, and strategic planning. His firm, Swanson & Cosgrave Consulting, works with districts across the country along with intermediaries like ConnectED, JFF, NAF, and EPIC. Prior to consulting, Theron spent a decade as a high school social studies teacher and Assistant Principal. Theron holds a B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in Education from Stanford University, and a M.A. in Education Administration from San Francisco State University.Links from this episode:Madera Unified Schools: https://www.madera.k12.ca.us/Madera California: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madera,_California Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Christopher Emdin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University; where he also serves as Director of the Science Education program and Associate Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education. He is the creator of the #HipHopEd social media movement, and author of the award winning book, Urban Science Education for the Hip-hop Generation and the New York Times bestseller For White Folks Who Teach In the Hood and the Rest of Ya’ll too.For a longer bio, check show notes, and if you haven't heard it, pop back to Episode 58 to listen to my first conversation with Chris and Edmund Adjapong. Links from this episode:Nipsey Hustle: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nipsey_Hussle, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm1s2VS9BdyXL9FU4a-W_cQDr. Chris Emdin: https://chrisemdin.com/For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood (And the rest of ya'll too): https://www.amazon.com/White-Folks-Teach-Hood-Rest/dp/0807028029Computer Science for All, NYC Department of Education: http://cs4all.nyc/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jacob Martinez is a social entrepreneur, tech educator, keynote speaker and cutting-edge community collaborator. Martinez believes technology has the potential to break down socioeconomic barriers and unlock economic growth for youth and their communities. As the founder and executive director of Digital NEST (Nurturing Entrepreneurial Skills with Technology), Martinez turned a vision into reality by creating a modern, collaborative workspace for local youth to receive high-tech training.The opening of the first Digital NEST in 2014 garnered national attention as a model for bridging the digital divide experienced by youth living in low-income, rural communities. Today the NEST continues to expand, with more than 1200 members at two regional centers; its main location in Watsonville, CA and since April 2017, a Digital NEST pilot in Salinas, CA.Martinez’s inspiration for Digital NEST is built on more than a dozen years of experience and research in teaching tech as a way to overcome economic disparities and achieve equity for Latinos and girls. His early work focused on promoting careers in STEM for youth through an award winning after-school program teaching middle-school girls to create computer games. The program serves hundreds of students in 15 Santa Cruz County schools.Martinez has presented his work and research to the National Science Foundation, to technology companies Google, Mozilla, and Infosys; to the Computer Science Collaborative Project, the University of California, and the National Girls Collaborative Project. Martinez spoke in 2015 at the first White House Tech Meetup and was named by TechCrunch as one of 2014’s Top 10 Men in the Country Supporting Women in Technology.Martinez has been widely recognized for his work as a community leader developing innovative approaches to solving social problems across diverse populations. Martinez founded the Santa Cruz County Ag-tech Meetup, co-founded the Watsonville Film festival, is a Community Advisor for Opportunity Fund and hosts a podcast focused on the intersection of agriculture and technology.He is a frequent speaker at technology and educational conferences and symposia, and has been honored by business, community, and educational institutions for his innovation and leadership. He was named the 2015 Santa Cruz County Entrepreneur of the Year, has provided thought leadership on the impact of tech and underserved student populations, and also received a recommendation letter from former United States Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta.Martinez graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and received his Master’s in Instructional Science and Technology from California State University, Monterey Bay.Links from this episode:Digital Nest: https://digitalnest.org/Jacob Martinez: https://digitalnest.org/oldsite/?page_id=2847Better Schools Won't Fix America, Nick Hanauer, Atlantic Monthly: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/07/education-isnt-enough/590611/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This conversation is with a group of founders designing novel learning experiences to engage learners. The conversation explores each approach, and what values they bring to what they design and build for learners. How does "engagement" relate to what skills, identities, and dispositions these experts hope that learners attain including but not limiting to computer science.Armando Somoza is a new media artist, technologist, social entrepreneur, and educator. He is committed to the creative application of immersive learning experiences, cultural entrepreneurship, and digital technologies as an agent of provocation and change. He holds an MFA in Emergent Digital Practice and a BA in Ethnic Studies. He is a career educator, artist, and technologist currently serving as a graduate level Adjunct Professor at NYU Steinhardt and CEO & Co-Founder of Rapport Studios, a creative agency that exists to disrupt, awaken, and reorient people’s relationship to knowledge and culture. Our product, CodeSCTY, leverages original hip hop music and youth culture to teach computational thinking and coding - like Schoolhouse Rock for coding.Chenits Pettigrew is an accomplished musician, educator, entrepreneur and creative director. Through innovative curriculum development, live performance, multimedia creation and master classes, his work aims to foster sustainable change. He has worked with arts and community organizations domestically and internationally in pursuit of this mission. He is the co-founder of Soul Science Lab, a music and multimedia production company and Chief Creative Officer of Rapport Studios, a creative education agency. At Rapport he is focused on building dynamic content for CodeScty, a product that uses original hip hop music to teach computer science concepts. Chenits holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies from Pennsylvania State University and an interdisciplinary Master’s in Music Business & Tech and Art as Activism from New York University. Leandra Tejedor and her cofounder Alexandra Diracles are proving that the best way to teach teens, especially girls, computer programming is go where they live: social media videos. It's a Javascript coding curriculum that can be used as a stand-alone course or a unit within a CS course. Vidcode has reached over 150,000 students (62% girls) in 113 countries, and recently partnered with Snapchat to help enable teens to code their own snapchat filters. Tejedor holds a degree in design and interactive media from Ramapo College.We often forget how rare it is that any of us as learners truly stumbles upon a deep motivation, a love for a topic, or enthusiasm for new skills out of nowhere. And yet, so many of the approaches we take through institutional learning make the assumption that you - empty vessel awaiting relevant knowledge - are eager to dive in.  Today especially, we're obsessed as a country with "readiness." For the future, for jobs, for the challenges of tomorrow, but nobody every got ready for anything by having others shove it cram it down our throat. As many of you are aware, thoughtful, well-designed onramps can be the difference between pushing through an already cracked door, and feeling around aimlessly for a secret opening in a library wall like in a scene from Harry Potter. You get what I'm saying - meet everyone...Links from this episode:Kiki Dance ChallengeVidCodeCodeSCTYMark Guzdial, University of Michigan: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.