Stories

CSTA GLA board elections are now open. Nominate yourself (or someone else) here.  Nominations close Friday, March 22, 2024. Circle back here for the link to vote on the nominees March 27th - April 5th.

CSTA GLA hosted Valeri Tomici, Senior Manager from Girls Who Code, for our February 2024 Chapter Meeting where we learned about the work of Girls Who Code and how you can easily set up a Girls Who Code club at your school, library, or community center for free!

CSTA GLA hosted a presentation from CYBER.ORG about bringing cybersecurity into the classroom. Our speakers shared information about federally grant-funded resources, cybersecurity curricula, resources, and even a cyber range that we can use for free with our students. We also got a hands-on experience with a Credential Harvesting Lab that uses the CYBER.ORG Range.

 

In this session we dove into ways we can teach about the impacts of computing through the lens of artificial intelligence (AI). We were joined by Daniel Ritchie, the chair of AIforCA, who shared activities we can use in our K-12 computer science classes to meet impacts of computing standards and teach about AI.

 

Join us on Zoom on April 19th. Learn valuable tips that best prepare your students for the AP exam on CS Principles.

 

Computer Science and Game Design teacher, Jennifer Stone (LAUSD STEM Academy of Hollywood), is also a former software engineer, a longtime facilitator for Code.org, and a master teacher. Her workshop for teachers on how to prepare students for the AP exam in CS Principles is an annual favorite. 

 

Recording Link
 

We had an engaging discussion with Patty Ni, Devin Murphy, and Cheyenne Gaima. Listen to how they have blazed a trail as leaders in their respective fields. Learn about their leadership journeys and styles, the career hurdles they’ve faced on their road to success and how they are shaping the workplace for future generations. Link to recording.

We joined SoCal SoBay to hear Joyce Pereira and Destiny Langford share their successes and resources for Student Paced Learning and Mastery Based Grading. The system for differentiation and meeting students needs was developed by Modern Classrooms Project.  Watch the recording and take a look at their resources. 

Join other CS teachers throughout Greater Los Angeles on Saturday, January 21, from 10 - 11:30 am in downtown L.A. at the Fig at 7th center food court, downstairs. We're celebrating the one-year anniversary of our CSTA Chapter being revitalized with a face-to-face meeting, gift bags, and great ideas. Fig at 7th is across the street from Metro Red Line and offers free validated parking - get map and details here.

We had an informal get together with Google Software Engineer Beka Westberg. It was an informative and inspiring conversation in which she introduced us to Google's CS First platform and curriculum and shared her path to joining a Google engineering team.  We learned what it feels like to be a software engineer at Google right now. What the Zoom Recording and share her industry insights with your students.

 

 

 

Join us!

Everyone is welcome in the weekly CS Reading Group where you don't even have to read, just enjoy the discussion.

Many of us have come to realize the problems of equity in CS education thanks to the landmark book, Stuck in the Shallow End by UCLA's Jane Margolis. Now Professor Margolis and her longtime collaborator, Jean J. Ryoo, have teamed up to create Power On! with illustrations by Charis JB. The book has a comprehensive, free educator resource that CSTA GLA member Mike Karlin of California State University Dominguez Hills calls a wonderful resource for supporting equity."  

CSTA has many resources on CS Equity - we recommend:

 

 

CS for CA's Equity Guide - free download provides informs education leaders about how to bring equitable CS into their schools in a guide developed by administrators across the state of California.

 

An alumna from USC Viterbi School of Engineering's K-12 STEM Center created this video on CS Equity.

 

Students with no or poor internet reception at home? $30 off https://www.lacoe.edu/Technology/Delete-the-Digital-Divide Flyer in Spanish here

Thursday, August 25 from 5 - 6 pm, you're invited to CSTA's Greater Los Angeles Zoom meeting. Start the academic year off with this supportive community of CS teachers, providers, education experts, and program administrators. Even if you're new to CS, join us to find great ideas, camaraderie and resources. On Thursday, August 25th, we kick off the academic year with an overview of resources on equity in CS, including an overview from LACOE's Science Coordinator Anthony Quan on his upcoming Equity Series (starts 8/31 - see this link for more information or register here), an update from CSTA GLA's Equity Fellow Elizabeth Naameh (see her recent articles here) and some resources shared by GLA Board Members on CS Equity.

 

 

The Bay Area Computer Science Council shared their tips and tricks for Creating Inclusive Hackathons for the SoCalSoBay, GLA, and IE chapters.

The Greater Los Angeles Chapter of CSTA serves the teachers and providers of quality, equitable CS opportunities for all students. We need one more member to serve on our board, and we're also inviting members to form subcommittees on topics important to them, such as K-8 CS, Artificial Intelligence, and more. 

Our topic for the GLA February Chapter meeting was Building Community. We got to know each other. We shared our latest favorite apps. We shared a spotlight on stand-out Black computer scientists. We talked about what you have let us know are your interests.  We presented a 'Nifty Opportunity' the TEALS program a teacher's support program free from Microsoft Philanthropy. And we let you know we're hoping you'll join our board or step into one of the committees we are putting together. If you missed this meeting, be sure to join us at the next one, in Zoom, on March 10th.

Every Tuesday from 5 - 6 pm, California CS Commissioner  Dr. Emily Thomforde leads a handful of educators in reading interesting and thought-provoking articles (many of them peer-reviewed, scholarly articles) on the pedagogy and practice of teaching CS. Everyone is welcome - no problem if you haven't read the article and just want to hear the discussion, feel free to come late or eat root beer floats during the meeting or walk on the treadmill. Find the schedule of readings here.

Emily Thomforde shared The World's Shortest Hackathon! Emily provided a a hackathon experience with all the challenges, emotions, and hands-on learning of a real hackathon in just an hour. We were given all of the resources to replicate the experience for our students using code.org's AppLab.

Our supportive group meets the 2nd Wednesday/month - Join us February 9, 5 - 6 pm