More than an Hour: Days, Months, and Years of Code

Thousands of LAUSD students were among the 80 million worldwide who participated in December’s Hour of Code, a high-profile event intended to make computer programming accessible to learners of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. High levels of participation at all grade levels in the District reflect rising interest among students and teachers, in a district whose leaders and partnerships have helped shape computer science education throughout the nation. 
 
A partnership with Code.org, the non-profit organization that developed the Hour of Code, will support computer science throughout K-12 -- with an emphasis on increased participation by female students and other populations that have been underrepresented in the field.  
 
 
 
The three-year plan includes:

• Offering computer science to grades K-5, teaching concepts in computing using a blended approach of self-guided and self-paced online tutorials, along with other activities that require no computer at all.
• Establishing a program for middle school students that combines computer science with the mathematics and science curriculum. Computer programming, as well as Algebra, will be used to problem solve.
• Expanding the computer science classes offered at high schools, including by 2016, an Advanced Placement course.

Already, Code.org has started offering training for K-5 teachers. The agreement also includes making curriculum developed by LAUSD available to school systems across the country.
 
 
Also read:

A Partnership that Has Helped Shape Computer Science Education