Together with CSforALL and 136 organizations, Sphero Announces their Commitment to Drive Action in the Computer Science Education Space.
Memphis, TN, & Greenville, TX, March 28, 2023–As the CSforALL community advances equitable and sustainable K-12 computer science education, it also explores the ideas, policies, and events that will propel the movement forward–an exploration of game changers in CS, the theme of this year’s CSforALL Summit. This year, the Summit announced 180 CSforALL commitments from 136 organizations made by our member community–marking growth in commitment-makers over last year–and celebrates the forward momentum of K-12 computer science education systems in the United States.
The sixth annual Summit highlighted CSforALL members and non-members expanding upon 2021’s major themes, including increasing equity and access among underrepresented groups, building capacity, raising awareness, and cultivating robust ecosystems of support in local communities. This year’s featured speakers are Múkami Kinoti Kimotho, Founder and CEO of Chief Girl Crusader, Royelles; and Tonyaa Weathersbee, Bureau Chief of Chalkbeat Tennessee.
For 2022-2023, Sphero commits to developing free resources for more than 500 educators to build their capacity for teaching computational thinking (CT), including:
- Downloadable PDF toolkit with definitions, examples, and unplugged ideas for integrating computational thinking into the classroom;
- Eight activity cards to build computational thinking with BOLT robots;
- Sphero Session on implementing CT in the classroom (more info below).
“Computational thinking is an important skill for students to hone, as it helps them know how to manage problems they encounter both in the classroom and in life beyond,” says Paul Copioli, Sphero’s CEO. “By providing these resources for educators, they can equip their students with valuable computational thinking skills and create a fun, hands-on learning environment in the process.”
Additionally, as part of Sphero’s CSforAll commitment, educators can join the team for a 45-minute Sphero Session to introduce computational thinking - a powerful process for thinking through complex problems that can be incorporated into the classroom whether there is access to technology or not.
During this webinar, the Sphero team will unpack CT, including its definition and what it looks like in and out of school settings. Attendees will leave with a set of free resources, part of Sphero's 2023 CSforAll commitment, that can be used to get started with CT in the classroom.
REGISTER HERE TO WATCH THE RECORDING
After the webinar, all support materials for learning CT with or without technology will be provided to all registrants. They will also be available on sphero.com.
#CSforALL commitments are new, specific, and measurable actions aimed at advancing the goal of rigorous and inclusive computer science education for all U.S. youth and designed to grow support and momentum for a sustainable K-12 computer science education system in and out of school. Notably, 106 organizations are prior CSforALL commitment-makers, and 25 of those have made annual commitments since 2017. Overall, the CSforALL community made an incredible 1,121 commitments between 2017 and 2022. The commitments detailed below include initiatives in all 50 states and internationally.
Highlights of this year’s announcement include:
- An extraordinary total of nearly seven million beneficiaries of these 180 commitments worldwide, including students, families, educators, and school districts.
- 84 commitments from 65 organizations, including CSAccess, the Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamps program, and GameSalad, focus on increasing equitable access for computer science learners and educators–an increase of 15 percent in this commitment category from 2021.
- 70 commitments from 56 organizations, including Games for Change, NCWIT, and Robin Hood Learning + Technology Fund to build capacity for computer science educational opportunities in and out of school settings.
- 19 college and university programs, including the UCLA Computer Science Equity Project and Virginia Tech; 13 school districts, including Dallas Independent School District and the Los Angeles Unified School District; and five individual schools, including Cactus High School and Rainier Prep, will focus on underrepresented minority groups, women and girls, students with disabilities, and students in rural communities to bolster opportunities for all computer science learners.
- 11 industry and corporate partners, including Microsoft TEALS, SAS, and Tata Consultancy Services, will work with schools and districts to develop computer science programs and professional development, impacting millions of students nationwide and globally.
- Amazon Future Engineer commits to providing free childhood to career computer science curriculum, real-world exploration experiences, career connections, and scholarships for underserved and underrepresented communities globally, serving 3,200,000 over the next year.
- Los Angeles Unified School District commits to providing Pre-K-5 students with 20 hours of computer science instruction each year. Middle-grade students will complete at least one rigorous and relevant computer science course and high school students will have access to a computer science pathway in LAUSD. These efforts will impact 600,000 students by fall 2025.
- CSisElementary announces the CS100 Award, offering new recognition for elementary schools nationwide that commit to teaching computer science to 100 percent of their K-5 students. Schools with approved applications will receive a CS100 Award badge and website certificate, be featured on a CS100 website, posted to a new CSK5 LinkedIn Community, and be promoted with our partners as success models for how K-5 CSforAll can be achieved.
CSforALL is the national hub of the computer science for all movement with a mission to make high-quality computer science an integral part of K-12 education in the United States. We connect providers, schools and districts, funders, and researchers working toward the goal of providing quality CS education to every child in the United States, and engage with diverse stakeholders leading computer science initiatives across the nation to support and facilitate implementation of rigorous, inclusive, and sustainable computer science.
For more information: www.csforall.org Twitter: @CSforALL
For media inquiries, please contact Nadia Tronick at nadia@csforall.org or 303.815.9433
About Sphero
Sphero is transforming PK–12 education with accessible tools that encourage exploration, imagination, and perseverance through STEAM, computer science, and robotics. With the help of educators around the world, Sphero empowers learners of all backgrounds and abilities to discover their interests and passions while equipping them with the skills they need to be the world’s future Changemakers. With presences in Greenville, TX, Hong Kong, and remote globally-based employees, Sphero has become the market leader in EdTech solutions, loved by millions of educators, students, and parents worldwide. Learn more at sphero.com.
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