A computer scientist at Oregon State University-Cascades has received a state grant to make computer science more engaging and inclusive for students from kindergarten through high school graduation.
The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) reports about 41% of the state’s high schools offer an introductory computer science course. But just 4% of students take one of those classes. And only 2% of those students are female.
OSU-Cascades professor Jill Hubbard wants to dispel myths about who should learn about computer science.
“It’s not just for people that want to become future computer scientists and engineers," she said. "Maybe you’re going to become a policy maker? Like, we see that right now with artificial intelligence. Who’s going to regulate and legislate artificial intelligence—if you don’t understand how it works?”
As grant administrator, Hubbard said the $628,000 award from the ODE will fund workshops and professional development for teachers to increase their ability to familiarize all students with computing.
Hubbard said expanding participation in computer science education, particularly among underserved student populations, “will benefit society with greater diversity in the technology workforce and in approaches to problem-solving using computing.”
The grant award is part of a statewide plan which aims to ensure computer science education is available to public school students on an equitable basis and to broaden participation for all students by 2027-28. It was funded in part through a $9.8 million federal grant awarded to the Oregon Department of Education.
The award is aligned with an initiative called, ”CS For All,” Hubbard told KLCC.
“Computing is ubiquitous. Computing is everywhere,” she said. “It’s how we engage with each other. It’s how we engage in the world. It affects our lives daily from decisions we make to opinions we form to opportunities we’re given.”
Hubbard added, “It’s important to ensure that we are inclusive in providing those opportunities to people. But also, to make sure the products that we create or the things that we unleash on our society, represents its citizens—justly.”
In addition to OSU-Cascades, the equitable computer science education plan was developed in partnership with the University of Oregon and Portland State University.
