Opening Doors to Computer Science
Opening Doors to Computer Science
High school junior Chris Cardona is certain that he wants to be a computer game designer one day. As he talks about his future, his hands move across a keyboard, directing small pieces of code around a computer screen.
He narrates as he builds.
“I used to play games, and I was always interested in how I could make that game for myself, and how to make it my way,” he says. “I want the game to be done in a way where everything looks nice, everything works well.”
Cardona, a student at the John D. O’Bryant School in Boston, has already built some basic games at home using the Lua programming language. And now, an elective honors class in computer science offered at his school is helping him to expand his knowledge.
Cardona’s story is music to June Mark’s ears. Since 2014, she and a team of colleagues from EDC have been working to broaden interest in, and access to, formal computer science programs. Their work is especially focused on students historically underrepresented in computing, including African American and Latino students, as well as girls from all backgrounds.
“The real power of computer science is that it gives you a language to help you do stuff you want to do,” says Mark. “That power to create things can be harnessed to attract more students to computer science. We need to use that to actively recruit kids who might not see themselves as computer scientists or interested in this field.”
“The real power of computer science is that it gives you a language to help you do stuff you want to do” –June Mark
Take AP Computer Science Principles, the course in which Cardona is enrolled. Its core curriculum is Beauty and Joy of Computing (BJC), a course developed by EDC and the University of California, Berkeley. Last year, 24 New York City teachers piloted BJC, reaching 800 students—mostly students of color. An additional 35 New York City schools will adopt the curriculum this fall. In all, over 150 teachers have registered with the College Board to teach AP Computer Science Principles using the BJC syllabus.