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Activities in the Professional Development Constellation include formal and informal professional development (PD) geared towards better educating computer science educators (high-school and postsecondary) and teaching assistants (TAs) on identity-inclusive topics.
K-12 Activities
CSTA is developing and implementing monthly, chapter-based teacher inquiry groups: special sessions on identity-inclusive topics (e.g., systemic oppression and how they manifest at the personal, cultural, and organizational levels, as well as biased technologies). These facilitator-led sessions will help teachers better understand topics in a more intimate environment than traditional PD, allowing them to interact with local chapter members they already know.
An “Intro to Identity” toolkit will be created and publicly available as a virtual, self-paced course to provide a baseline understanding of these topics. This allows participants with limited to no understanding of identity-inclusive topics to learn at a pace that fits their comfort level without impacting the pace and learning experience of the overall inquiry group.
CSTA also holds monthly webinars for all members on IIC knowledge and skill development. These short, differentiated webinars (which incorporate identity-inclusive topics and discussions at introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels) will be incorporated into an existing monthly webinar series on equity, pedagogy, and content.
The Computing Equity Project (CEP) at Georgia Tech’s Constellations Center for Equity in Computing is committed to fostering a nurturing environment for teacher growth in computer science (CS) education. The CEP has launched this project, which includes professional development (PD) focused on advancing highly motivated CS educators to become instructional coaches and leaders in creating a community of reflective practitioners to promote equity in CS education.
Postsecondary Activities
The 3C Fellows Program is a novel virtual, cohort-based PD program where postsecondary (future) CS faculty and staff (in teams or individually) 1) study topics such as identity, intersectionality, and systemic disparities to understand historical trends that impact organizational cultures and technology development; and 2) develop IIC courses, modules, and department activities.
The AIICE Teaching Assistant Professional Development Course, developed collaboratively by Bard College and Mount Holyoke College, aims to equip Computer Science Teaching Assistants (TAs) with the knowledge and tools to foster an inclusive and supportive learning environment. Understanding the constraints faced by supervisors in implementing comprehensive training, each topic is introduced briefly, encouraging participants to delve deeper into the subject matter independently. A curated list of topic-specific resources is provided to facilitate further exploration.
Review the AiiCE Professional Development Tenets