NLU Partners with Nonprofits on Computer Science Professional Development
The Illinois Computer Science Standards were adopted with the enactment of Public Act 101-0654, which required the Illinois State Board of Education to develop rigorous learning standards for computer science by December 1, 2021. These standards were developed by a stakeholder group of educators throughout Illinois and based on the Computer Science Teachers Association CS Standards.
Many organizations have been doing work to promote computer science to all learners long before Public Act 101-0654 went into effect. Launched in 2013, nonprofit CODE.org has been dedicated to expanding access to computer science in schools and increasing participation by young women and students from other underrepresented groups. CODE.org works with schools and districts around the country to offer various computer science-related professional development workshop series specifically to support elementary, middle grade, and high school educators who want to teach computer science to PK-12 learners. The Learning Technology Center (LTC), the Regional Partner for CODE.org, facilitates such professional learning programs in Illinois including offering scholarships so that our state’s educators can develop the capacity and expertise needed to operate an enriching computer science curriculum. Read more about LTC and their work in Illinois below.
To further support PK-12 educators across the U.S. in their professional career development, NLU has partnered with CODE.org and LTC to provide graduate level course credit for CODE.org workshop series’ participants through NLU’s Course by Credential pathway. Workshop participants can earn one (1) semester hour of course credit that can be used toward a lane change and toward one of two graduate degrees at NLU: M.Ed./Ed.S. Learning Sciences or M.Ed./Ed.S. Curriculum & Instruction Advanced Professional Specialization – both of which can be completed fully online. This is an exciting opportunity for educators all across the country to take what they learn from CODE.org’s workshops and apply it to not only their classroom and learners but also to their own graduate degree aspirations.
Learn more here. Have any questions? Email us at ncedeansoffice@nl.edu!
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About the Learning Technology Center of Illinois (LTC)
The Learning Technology Center of Illinois (LTC) is a statewide program of the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) that supports all public K-12 districts, schools, and educators through technology initiatives, services, and professional learning opportunities. Through our statewide team of educational technology experts - including many passionate, lifelong educators - we work to address high-need technology challenges while helping districts secure access to the funding and resources they need to foster a robust digital learning environment. Our goal is to maximize school districts’ technology utilization and enhance the ways districts harness technology to improve educational opportunities.
To learn more about the LTC and explore our low-and-no-cost professional learning opportunities, visit https://ltcillinois.org/.
About the Learning Technology Center's Focus on Computer Science and STEM Learning
The Learning Technology Center is a reliable advocate for computer science (CS) and STEM education, with resources, trainings, and supports geared toward making science-powered learning accessible at all grade levels. Through our nationwide partnerships and connections to computer science educators across the state, we strive to make integrating CS and STEM learning - as well as achieving standards-based compliance - an empowering experience for all educators and school districts.
To learn more about how the LTC is working to build and bolster CS learning across the state, visit our Computer Science Learning hub to explore our growing collection of training opportunities and resources (including resources for complying with Illinois' new K-12 computer science and computer literacy learning standards).
