Top Takeaways from GaETC 2022

GaETC was a whirlwind! We so enjoyed meeting educators in person and hearing about the latest in computer science education in Georgia. 

The Life is Tech team–and Mickey–getting ready for the conference.

We learned so much from talking to educators and administrators about their expectations of STEM and computer science curriculum and the challenges of providing high-quality instruction.

 

 Did you stop by our booth? Even if you couldn’t make it, we can still do a custom demo for you virtually.

 

These are some of the big takeaways from GaETC that we’re talking about and that will help us make Life is Tech curriculum even better:

Gaps in Curriculum–Schools need more than just keyboarding for computer science, including more options for K-2 and advanced CS curriculum. Teachers are always looking for additional science topics.

Learning Retention–If the curriculum is redundant it makes it harder for students to retain and build on what they've learned. While block-based coding can help ease students into coding, it’s harder for them to  grasp real coding concepts with just drag-and-drop. With text-based coding, students have a learning experience that reinforces coding concepts.

Voice and Choice–All students should have the opportunity to learn in their own way and at their own pace. It’s important to have ample support and differentiation to meet students where they are. 

Starting Small–When adding a new program to your curriculum you don’t need to have a massive rollout in your first go. Crawl before you walk and walk before you run. If you’re purchasing for your district, start small with one or two school sites to act as your proof of concept. This keeps your risk low and helps with teacher buy-in. If you’re purchasing for your school-site, start small with one class, one grade level or even a club for a handful of students.

Facilitator Support is a must when rolling out new programs; If companies do not provide this white glove approach, adoption will be very poor and all involved–administrators, teachers, students–will not have an optimal experience as a result because precious resources (time, money, etc.) end up being wasted across the board.

 

Interested in learning about computer science curriculum from Life is Tech for your school or district? Schedule a custom demo with us.