Empowering Students
Here, students learn the skills, knowledge, and mindsets necessary to leverage the power of computers to solve problems and express themselves. Our Next Technologies for Learning plan identifies computer science as a critical component to building creative problem solvers and providing pathways to career and college. In the 21st century we need citizens who are not only digitally literate, but able to solve problems and innovate through computer science.
Developing Thinkers
Students learn computational thinking skills through the computer science experiences that help in all subject areas. Every day our students are learning about problem solving, logic, patterns, breaking things into smaller parts, writing steps and rules, and more. These thinking skills help students now with reading, writing, and math and prepare them to be the thinkers, problems solvers, and computer scientists of tomorrow.
Engaging Experiences
We create opportunities for students to experience computer science through physical movement, robotics, on screen coding programs, real world design challenges, and creating solutions and expressions of themselves. Our students make “computers” out of paper, make their friends into “robots”, and tell stories by coding on screen.
Foundational concepts include:
- Creative Computing: Storytelling using block coding, multimedia production, and unplugged lessons that help students with the problem solving skills used in computer science.
- Physical Computing: Robotics.
- Problem Solving and Impacts on Society: Applying skills learned in the first two units to solve a problem or challenge facing a community.
BPS’s k-12+ computer science pathway is created in collaboration with the University of Minnesota’s Learning & Technologies Collaborative. The program is designed to maximize learning through the use of best practices in computer science education. The University of Minnesota evaluates student outcomes of the program to ensure positive impact.
Many career fields depend on solutions created by computer science such as robotics, applications, websites, data analysis tools, records, or artificial intelligence. To ensure that all students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a connected computational world, Bloomington Public Schools continues to expand its K-12+ pathway for computer science education. At the core of the computer science work is a commitment to equity and representation within computer science education.
Goals:
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Elementary School
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Middle School
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High School
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