CCSC-CSTA Collaboration Begins in Earnest

Since the General Business Meeting in Houston last spring, the CCSC Board has moved aggressively forward in discussions with the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) to identify areas of mutual support. The cooperation between our organizations is important to both groups. At the college level, we have a vested interest in restoring our pipeline of potential computing students. In the K-12 realm, teachers need the support of college faculty for training and support and to help influence perceptions of the field as a potential profession.

Several steps have already been taken by the CCSC Board in support of these objectives. In my final general message to the membership last spring, I urged members to make their departments affiliate members of CSTA. This shows direct support of the organization, but it does something far more important. It demonstrates to ACM and other funding agencies that CSTA has broad support for its work. That funding is important to CSTA and, ultimately, to all of us, given the vested interest we have in interesting students in studying the computing disciplines after high school.

Departments can do much more! How about sponsoring JETT and/or TECS workshops? They are not difficult to organize, reach well into the surrounding high school communities, are strongly supported through the CSTA office, and provide important links between our institutions and the school districts which supply our students. Here's another idea: How about raising the value of taking a computing course in high school? Ask your Admissions Office to consider such a course a positive indicator when evaluating an applicant. A statement could even be added to admissions materials stating that the presence of a computing course on the applicant's transcript is considered an indication of a well- rounded individual. My own university began using this approach this year; we also offered both JETT and TECS workshops last August to an enthusiastic group of high school teachers.

CCSC regional conference committees are urged to identify CSTA board members in their areas and to invite them to participate very visibly in their conferences. Inviting a session led by the CSTA person or holding a separate, one-day TECS workshop on the Saturday of a conference in conjunction with the CCSC regional conference is also possible. (Midwest did this in October with good response from teachers.)

These cooperative efforts between CCSC and CSTA are not a silver bullet for the numbers problem. They will repair damage over the long haul. There are many other factors influencing the drop in the study of computing. Cooperating with CSTA is one step toward eliminating some of them. I have only identified a few ways this can happen, but I'm sure you will think of others.

If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please write to me: aman@sxu.edu. I look forward to hearing from you and working with you as liaison in the months ahead.

Jim Aman
CCSC Liaison to CSTA