Educators practice coding using colorful cards at the Spring into CS Summit held March 16 in Redding.
Spring into CS Summit gets educators excited for computer science
April 15, 2024
The Spring into CS Summit, held March 16 in Redding, brought together computer science (CS) enthusiasts from around Northern California for an interactive day of professional development, networking and technology discovery. Participants were energized and excited to discuss computer science concepts and evolving CS standards for K-12 classrooms.
The event (hosted by the Butte County Office of Education in partnership with CS4NorCal and Stanislaus County Office of Education) was filled to capacity with over 100 computer enthusiasts in attendance. Educators learned new strategies for teaching computer science, at every grade and age level, while engaging with the latest trends and technology, specifically with a focus on access and inclusion in rural areas.
Highlights included a keynote address by Adam Welcome and presentations by Kat Goyette, the computer science coordinator for the California Department of Education. Both of these speakers were highly engaged and motivated the participants to jump in and try new things.
Nikki Navta from Code.org and Jake and Nathan also gave highly inspirational talks and shared the need for computer science. As hosts of the podcast What Teachers Have to Say, Jake and Nathan had an on-site recording area for teachers to stop and share insights throughout the day.
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An engaging e-textiles session facilitated by Rudy Escobar and Amy Bultena, from Stanislaus County Office of Education, taught participants about wearable technology. They provided materials to create a wearable backpack with LED lights illuminated by a micro bit.
The Hands-On Playground included two different rooms where teams learned about coding and programming for different grade levels:
- For K-2 educators, they used Sphero Indi cars to build their own mazes — teaching problem solving and computational thinking skills.
- For older grade levels, educators learned to program a Sphero to run through a maze on the floor.
Participants were thrilled to gain new strategies for teaching and integrating computer science concepts effectively through hands-on activities across content areas.
The Spring into CS Summit complements the work of Seasons of CS and CSforNorCal, providing computer science focused resources and professional learning at no cost to educators. The summit stemmed from the regional need to create a network of educators committed to increased access to Computer Science learning for K-12 students as a means of promoting student inclusion and achievement.
“The event was a great overview of computer science, and it planted seeds for teachers that may have never tried CS in their classrooms,” said participant Julie Kim, 4th Grade Math & Homeschool Teacher at Redding School of the Arts.
More than 100 educators attended the Spring into CS Summit in Redding.
Programing cars to navigate a maze teaches computational thinking.
Keynote presenter Adam Welcome.
What Teachers Have to Say podcast hosts Jake and Nathan.