FAIRFIELD, Conn.—Sacred Heart University has become the official partner of Code.org in Connecticut, joining a nationwide network that supports efforts to expand access to computer science in K-12 schools.
Code.org is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding computer science access to younger students and increasing participation by women and underrepresented minorities. Its vision is to ensure that every student has the chance to learn computer science, just like they do biology, chemistry or algebra, according to its website. The organization provides curriculum for K-12 computer science in school districts across the nation.
"Computer science is the curriculum of the 21st century," said Hadi Partovi, Code.org founder and CEO. "These skills not only provide a pathway to the careers of the future, but a foundation for basic understanding of the technological world around us. We're proud to welcome Sacred Heart University as a partner and look forward to supporting their critical work to prepare more teachers to teach computer science.”
Through the partnership, SHU will provide professional development to educators throughout Connecticut and become the state’s hub for computer science K-12 education. Professors Cenk Erdil with SHU’s School of Computer Science & Engineering and Darcy Ronan of the Isabelle Farrington College of Education will lead the partnership as co-directors. Code.org will provide scholarships for eligible teachers through 2020, a funding commitment of over $200,000. More than 100 teachers each year will participate in workshops led by Code.org-trained facilitators, many of whom who are local educators.
“Code.org wants to change the state of computer science education in Connecticut from something available to a few, interested students to something accessible and normalized for all students,” Ronan said. “Because Code.org understands that teachers are critical to achieving this vision, they generously support professional learning. We are excited to partner with them in this important work.
“This educational movement, promoting computer science for all, mirrors the fast pace and transformative power of the digital revolution. Students are not only using technology, but creating technology. That’s a key difference. This represents a generational challenge for educators who, by and large, did not have these experiences in our own schooling. Code.org’s professional learning programs are designed for novice coders. Computer science for all includes teachers, too,” she said.
According to Code.org, Computer science teaches students 21st-century skills such as coding, algorithms, analysis of big data, creating an app and the ways of the internet. It also allows students to learn about logic, problem-solving, collaboration and creativity. Nine in 10 parents want their children to study computer science, but fewer than half of schools in Connecticut teach it. Through Code.org’s programs, students learn skills to create technology that can solve problems in their communities and in the world.
Through the partnership with Code.org, Erdil said SHU also has been working with Connecticut’s Department of Education and the Connecticut Computer Science Teachers Association to define formal pathways for teachers. “As SHU is becoming Connecticut’s hub for computer science education, we are also working with other stakeholders in the state to accelerate a recent bipartisan grassroots movement to highlight the importance of computer science for all students,” Erdil said.
For information about upcoming workshops or to sign up for updates, visit www.sacredheart.edu/code.
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About Sacred Heart University
As the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, and one of the fastest-growing in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus, which is located about an hour from Manhattan and 2.5 hours from Boston. Sacred Heart also has satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland. More than 8,500 students attend the University’s eight colleges and schools: Arts & Sciences; Communication, Media & the Arts; Computer Science & Engineering; Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education; the Jack Welch College of Business; Nursing; and St. Vincent’s College. Sacred Heart is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, yet at the same time develops students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives and professions and in their communities. A spirit of service, entrepreneurship and social justice is the essence of who we are and can be seen inside and outside the classroom as students learn how to make a difference far beyond Fairfield. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 384 Colleges–2019 Edition, “Best in the Northeast” and Best 267 Business Schools–2018 Edition. It also placed SHU on its lists for “Happiest Students” and “Most Engaged in Community Service,” each of which comprises only 20 U.S. schools. Sacred Heart has a Division I athletics program. www.sacredheart.edu