Once Upon a Tech

The goal of this blog and podcast series is to bring CS education research into the K-8 classroom. In this episode, I take a deep dive into two papers: Robot Diaries: Broadening Participation in the Computer Science Pipeline through Social Technical Exploration and Designing the Finch: Creating a Robot Aligned to Computer Science Concepts with Tom Lauwers. He is the founder and CEO of Birdbrain Te...

In this episode, I take a deep dive into two papers: Middle school girls’ envisioned future in computing and Bricklayer: Elementary Students Learn Math through Programming and Art with Michelle Friend. She is an Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Nebraska Omaha. I first met Michelle through the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) where she is a founding and curr...

October 11 is International Day of the Girl and what better way to celebrate than to share our interview with Isabel Humphreys, a junior in high school, who loves books & computer science. She is helping bridge the gender gap in STEM by mentoring young women to help them see a place for themselves in STEM. Isabel started her journey into computer science in elementary school and a note for all you...

In this episode, I take a deep dive into two papers:  TIPP&SEE: A Learning Strategy to Guide Students through Use–>Modify Scratch Activities  and  Supporting Diverse Learners in K-8 Computational Thinking with TIPP&SEE  with  Jean Salac . Jean is a Computer Science PhD candidate and NSF Graduate Fellow at the University of Chicago's CANON Lab working with Professor Diana Franklin. She has a passio...

The goal of this blog and podcast series is to bring CS education research into the K-8 classroom. In this episode, I take a deep dive into the paper Measuring the effect of continuous professional development on elementary teachers’ self-efficacy to teach coding and computational thinking with one it’s authors Jared O’Leary . Jared is the Director of Education and Research at BootUp. BootUp is a...

Are transparency, inclusivity, adaptability, collaboration, and community important to you? If so, you might be ready to work in the open! But what does “open” really mean, and what does it mean to work in the open as a teacher, an administrator, technologist...or really anyone? We talk with Laura Hilliger, an Open Org ambassador, about characteristics of open organizations, and how she’s looking...

Episode 1 in the Bringing CS Education Research into K-8 Classrooms series. This series is all about taking a deeper dive into current K-8 CS education research, so in this first episode Kim Wilkens, EdD student, and her advisor Dr. Jennifer Chiu, Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Virginia, take a look at the anatomy of a research paper. Find resources here .

We caught up with Tricia Howell, Recruitment & Retention Coordinator at C4K, to learn how they use the power of teens and mentors learning shoulder to shoulder to create a space where community and opportunity can flourish. C4K has been serving the Charlottesville community for 20+ years! Learn more about their amazing programing, and how you can get involved! (We can confirm: It is 👍💯) Find res...

Summer is almost here! Sarah & Kim catch up on their most recent adventures, and share some big news about what’s coming up next. Plus info about cool new opportunities to connect! Find resources here .

March is Women’s History Month! We are celebrating with ALL THINGS women: intersectional feminism, International Women’s Day, and tons of resources for diving in and getting your women’s history on. Plus, a love letter to MozFest, our favorite (and very feminist) conference; and Ms. Fitz rants about why women’s history is NOT just for girls. Who run the world? Listen and find out! Find resources h...

When we first started the podcast, we always intended to highlight the books that we love and that make us think. You have heard us sprinkling references to them throughout different episodes, but the big moment is finally here: We’re happy to share our first BOOK EPISODE!  Insert Ms. Fitz’s happy dance here. Hopefully, this is the first of many. As we acknowledge and celebrate Black History Month...

We are thrilled to have Cami back on the podcast along with her mom, Lisa. Cami is in her final year as a CS major at Virginia Tech. Lisa is an epidemiologist looking to transition into data science. Along the way, she’s become a COVID-19 epidemiologist. Learn how this dynamic mother/daughter duo inspire each other and we’re sure they will inspire you too! Find resources here .

We speak with Jack Dozier, founder of Books for VA, about his dedication to service and bettering his community, and how his passion for literacy and computer science are helping him to make a difference. As usual, this young person will leave you feeling inspired and hopeful about the future - don’t miss this episode! Find resources here .

From English major to Executive Director at Virginia Society for Technology in Education (VSTE), Karen shares her EdTech journey and her love of making! Learn about how you can and why you should get involved with VSTE. Find resources here .

Thank you dear listeners for helping us through an unpredictable, unprecedented and most challenging year. In this episode, we share reflections from 2020 as well as some of our hopes and dreams for the new year. We look forward to hearing from you in 2021! Find resources here .

Have you ever seen a need in your community and wished you could do something to make a difference? Merci Best did - so she took her impressive scientific background, her amazing creativity, and her family of brilliant partners and brought that dream to life. This week, we’re hearing from Ms. Best about STEAMKITX - the company she founded to provide creative, engaging, hands-on and personally desi...

Techno girl, TedEd innovator, VSTE keynote speaker, Lego Master Educator, nonprofit board member… whatever you want to call her, Kimberly Lane Clark is awesome. From e-sports to Hour of Code and everything in between, Kim shares all about her amazing range of projects, advocacy, and what drives her in her many roles day to day. You won’t want to miss this episode! Find resources here .

Misinformation, disinformation, fake news - whatever you call it, it’s wreaking havoc on our country right now. Sarah and Kim join forces with Seli from FTP to share our best tips for spotting fake and biased news. Find resources here .

How are teachers learning and growing while pandemic teaching? This week, we spoke with Shannon Montague, Director of Professional Development at the Virginia Association of Independent Schools. Shannon is the master of tech tools and PD, she shared her favorite resources and best advice for becoming a better educator no matter the circumstances. Plus, a bonus question - What do you think the “new...

With a one of a kind election happening this week, we were excited to talk with Merry and Seli, founders of FTP (F*ck the Press) blog and podcast. Just 19 years old, they have a passion for politics and for breaking down the news to help young people navigate our current political and media systems. In this episode, they offer master class level advice for dealing with misinformation and news fati...

Kim is getting into a groove as an EdD student at the School of Education at UVA. She is working on some next steps with Tech-Girls and caught up with some inspiring women in tech (and hopefully future guests). Sarah is making friends at her new school. She also reflects on banned books weeks - why it exists, what it means and why we should all care about it. Be sure to check out all the resources...

We had such a fun time learning and laughing with Jean! She is the CEO of an innovative edtech and video game startup with a deep passion for democratizing storytelling in games, plus she’s a standup comedian, international speaker, professional coach, and avid pie maker! She also recently launched a podcast - Games, Grit & Gratitude: Real Talk. Find resources here .

We talk with Chic Thompson, founder of WagiLabs and Kayla Canario, K-12 Education Project Manager at Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education about brainstorming, design thinking, playing games, integrating STEM, Kidpreneurs and being the buffalo! Find resource here .

We first met Melissa Phillips as a middle school math teacher and now she’s a data scientist. Learn how bringing students to a math competition inspired her new journey! We also revisit imposter syndrome and some things we have learned to do to deal with it. Find resources here .

Sarah and Kim are both on new adventures this fall! Kim is now a full-time Ed. D. student in Curriculum and Instruction at the UVA Curry School of Education. Sarah is in a new position at a new school as the Distance Learning Coordinator or as she refers to it, a Professional Optimist. Find resources here .