CS/IT outreach from a Canadian perspective

Abstract

Computer Science Education Week (a.k.a. CSEdWeek), officially recognized in the United States, has also helped to raise the profile of Computer Science Education in Canada and to start many conversations about computer science education that typically find receptive audiences across many sectors. Yet, the focus does not need to be computer science alone. The Association for Computing Machinery has two special interest groups explicitly dedicated to education: SIGCSE for computer science and SIGITE for information technology. Looking at the CC2005 document, one also finds mention of computer engineering, information systems, and software engineering. Still more areas, such as bioinformatics, may be included in future computing curricula surveys.Programming can be identified as a common thread these areas. As educators, we do not expect that all students who take programming will pursue computer science or information technology in post-secondary education. However, we do want students to choose programming over being programmed [7]. In a 2009 Conference Board of Canada survey of young people, most could not identify an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) job. However, ICT jobs are everywhere with only about half inside the traditional information technology sector. Students, parents, teachers, guidance councilors, and school administrators need to see computing as fun, cool, creative, and social and a great choice for a rewarding career.Computing curriculum is not standardized across provinces, where it exists in various stages of renewal. Ideally, students will be exposed to CS/IT at an age when they are interested in exploring the possibilities that it presents. K-12 teachers, both pre-service and in-service, need support and resources to help them encourage students in computational thinking and CS/IT. Although it may be too late attract students new to CS/IT in Grade 12 as potential post-secondary majors, post-secondary education should provide pathways for these students to incorporate CS/IT into their programs of study.The panel will give a representation of very encouraging CS/IT outreach efforts in Canada offered by various organizations working in this space. These include (in alphabetical order): the Canadian Association of Computer Science/Association d'Informatique Canadienne (CACS/AIC), comprising post-secondary institutions offering Computer Science degrees; the Canadian Information Processing So- ciety (CIPS), known as Canada's Association of I.T. Professionals; the Canadian Coalition for Tomorrow's ICT Skills (CCICT), an industry-led coalition of employers, universities and industry organizations with the aim of ensuring availability of ICT professionals for Canadian organizations; and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA - international, with chapters forming across Canada), a membership organization that supports and promotes the teaching of computer science and other computing disciplines.