#CSK8 Podcast - A podcast for computer science educators

In this interview with Bob Irving, we discuss Bob’s book ( Hard Fun: Supercharge your middle school computer science classroom with project-based, hands-on, just-in-time learning! ), learning CS through Minecraft, the impact of COVID on Bob’s teaching, the importance of interest-driven learning, the future of CS education, and much more. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started...

In this episode I unpack Benedict and O’Leary’s (2019) publication titled “Reconceptualizing “music making:” Music technology and freedom in the age of Neoliberalism,” which explores the use of computer science practices to counter neoliberal influence on education. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 Intro 00:51 Abstract...

In this interview with Maya Israel, we discuss Maya’s shift from special education into CS education, the importance of universal design for learning (UDL) in CS classes, understanding the spectrum of accessibility for students with a diverse set of needs, the current status of accessibility and inclusion within the field of CS education, problematize deficit framings of students with disabilities...

In this episode I unpack Yadav and Heath’s (2022) publication titled “Breaking the code: Confronting racism in computer science through community criticality, and citizenship,” which articulates some biases in CS curricular design and pedagogy, then provides three suggestions for teaching CS as an agenda for social reconstruction. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with C...

In this interview with Ruthe Farmer, we discuss Ruthe’s perspectives on feminism in education, Ruthe’s journey through tech inclusion entrepreneurship, finding ways outside of the classroom to have an impact on education, Ruthe’s work with the Last Mile Education Fund, and so much more. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00...

In this episode I unpack Tshukudu et al.’s (2021) publication titled “Teachers’ views and experiences on teaching second and subsequent programming languages,” which “understand computing teachers’ views and practices on the use of transfer strategies in teaching second and subsequent programming languages” (p. 297). Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Scienc...

In this interview with Addison Lilholt, we discuss Addison’s DREAM job, the importance of students having fun through meaningful learning experiences, lessons learned from remote teaching, the importance of mental breaks when learning/teaching, recommendations for getting started with CS, the intersections of CS and environmental sciences, creating an arcade cabinet to explore engineering and CS,...

[This episode was a friendly April Fools prank where the entire podcast was an abstraction] In this episode I unpack author’s (year) publication titled “title colon title,” which summary in a single sentence. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

In this episode I unpack Mills et al.’s (2021) publication titled “Computational thinking for an inclusive world: A resource for educators to learn and lead,” which is a white paper that provides strategies for integrating CT into disciplinary learning for for developing capacity for computational thinking. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Educatio...

In this interview with Sara Vogel, we discuss changes in CS education since Sara was last on the podcast, the impact of COVID on learning, some of the problems with computational thinking, the importance of modifying curricula to make it more culturally and historically responsive, deficit language and racism around bilingual students, the importance of understanding translanguaging pedagogies, wh...

In this episode I unpack an excerpt from Schubert’s (2008) publication titled “Curriculum inquiry,” which describes different venues or types of curriculum that educators and education researchers should consider. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 Intro 00:51 Chapter introduction 01:45 My single sentence summary 01:55 W...

In this episode I unpack an excerpt from Schubert’s (1986) book titled “Curriculum: Perspective, paradigm, and possibility,” which describes different examples, intents, and criticisms of “images” or “characterizations” of curriculum. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 Intro 00:22 My single sentence summary 01:34 What ar...

In this interview with Kimberly Scott, we discuss some of the problems with discourse around grit, students as techno-social change agents, teaching with culturally responsive approaches in communities that are hostile toward culturally responsive pedagogies, unpacking discourse and Discourse, considering both present and future identities when teaching, potential disconnects between theory and pr...

In this episode I unpack Bresler’s (1995) publication titled “The subservient, co-equal, affective, and social integration styles and their implications for the arts,” which “examines the different manifestations of arts integration in the operational, day-to-day curriculum in ordinary schools, focusing on the how , the what , and the toward what ” (p. 33). Click here for this episode’s show notes...

In this interview with Sara Lev, we discuss the place for joy in teaching and learning, the impact of remote learning on PBL in early childhood, misconceptions around PBL in early childhood, encouraging curiosity by responding to questions with questions, social and emotional learning, the impact of yoga and meditation on teaching, and so much more. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to...

In this episode I unpack my (2020) publication titled “Intersections of popular musicianship and computer science practices,” which discusses potential implications of hardware and software practices that blur the boundaries between music making and computer science. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 Intro 00:19 Abstrac...

In this interview with Monica McGill, we discuss the nuances of identities in relation to conversations around equity, the importance of having many pathways in CS, designing games for purposes beyond pure entertainment, codeveloping CS courses with students, how researchers and K-12 practitioners can use CSEdResearch.org, our thoughts on bridging the gap between research and practice, opportuniti...

In this episode I unpack Chongo, Osman, and Nayan’s (2021) publication titled “Impact of the plugged-in and unplugged chemistry computational thinking modules on achievement in chemistry,” which investigated achievement outcomes between a chemistry unit in three groups: 1) chemistry classes integrated with Scratch projects, 2) chemistry classes integrated with both unplugged and Scratch projects,...

In this episode I unpack Lewis’ (2017) publication titled “Good (and bad) reasons to teach all students computer science,” which problematizes common rationales/myths for teaching computer science in K-12 schools. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 Intro 00:29 Abstract 01:13 My single sentence summary 01:44 Chapter intro...

In this episode I unpack Scott and Elliott’s (2020) publication titled “STEM diversity and inclusion efforts for women of color: A critique of the new labor system,” which uses the metaphor of sharecropping to problematize the new labor system around STEM education and careers. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 Intro 00...

In this interview with Aria Chernik, we discuss student-centered engagement situated within authentic contexts, problems with focusing entirely on capitalistic purposes of education, using critical pedagogies to problematize power dynamics in the classroom, using an open design for learning, the phenomenology of collaboration, creating a space that encourages taking risks in education, and much mo...

In this episode I unpack Cayari et al.’s (2021) publication titled “Trans voices speak: Suggestions from trans educators about working with trans students,” which provides five suggestions from Trans educations on working with Trans students. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00 Intro 00:26 Abstract 01:27 My single sentenc...

In this interview with James Fester, we discuss using informal learning approaches within formal learning spaces, what makes a learning experience engaging, how James’ experience in the National Parks Service’s Teacher Ranger Teacher program informed how he taught in the classroom, unpacking nuances of project-based learning, debunking common misconceptions of PBL, and so much more. Click here for...

In this episode I unpack Menier, Zarch, and Sexton’s (2021) publication titled “Broadening gender in computing for transgender and nonbinary learners,” which is a position paper problematizes the current lack of trans and nonbinary individuals in discourse around gender in CS education. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Science Education ━━━━━━━━━━━━━ 00:00...

In this interview with Khalia Braswell, we discuss the lack of representation in education, improving equity and inclusion in CS education, what Khalia has learned with INTech Camp for Girls , how Khalia iterates on her own abilities, the importance of self care, our thoughts on the future of CS education, and much more. Click here for this episode’s show notes. How to Get Started with Computer Sc...