Continuing its commitment to excellence in science, technology, engineering and math education, the West Virginia University Center for Excellence in STEM Education announced today (Dec. 8) its selection as a regional partner of Code.org, a national network working to ensure that all students K-12 have the opportunity to learn computer science.
“We are thrilled to become a Code.org Regional Partner and establish CodeWV to help build an effective computer science educator community across West Virginia, particularly in our rural and underserved areas,” said Center Director Gay Stewart. “With computing jobs now the number one source of new earnings in the U.S., computer science must be a critical part of the K-12 curriculum. Not only can we ensure that West Virginia students have the skills necessary for future success, we can also bolster jobs and economic growth in the state.”
As a regional partner, WVUCE-STEM is creating CodeWV to support increased accessibility to computer science for students in K-12 public schools across the state, in part by offering professional development to educators.
In making the personnel investment required to become a regional partner, WVU will be able to provide resources to support the West Virginia Department of Education’s efforts to bring computer science courses into all schools, enhance the state’s computer science learning standards and define the requirements for computer science teaching certification.
To celebrate the launch of CodeWV, WVUCE-STEM hosted an Hour of Code event at Mylan Park Elementary School to showcase how easy it is for students of all ages to learn the basics of coding. Some 400 students participated in an Hour of Code, a global movement to demystify the various computer programming languages commonly called “codes.”
Stewart was joined at the event by WVU President Gordon Gee and West Virginia’s Department of Education and the Arts Secretary Gayle Manchin; U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin and Shelley Moore Capito, along with State Superintendent Steven Paine, sent video greetings.
WVUCE-STEM will also host a statewide convening in Charleston on Feb. 2, focused on expanding access to computer science in classrooms statewide in partnership with the Education Alliance and the West Virginia Department of Education, and funded in part by STEMx.
Both events are a part of the West Virginia Forward initiative, underpinning how collaboration among entities across the Mountain State can advance STEM education at all educational levels to help diversify and strengthen our current and future talent pool.
“We are proud to partner with the WVU Center for Excellence in STEM Education to expand access to computer science in West Virginia at a time when the majority of K-12 schools still don’t offer it,” said Hadi Partovi, founder and CEO of Code.org. “By offering Code.org Professional Learning Programs, WVU will give teachers the tools and support they need to introduce foundational 21st-century knowledge into their classrooms and put all students on a path to success in today’s high-tech world.”
West Virginia is one of only 10 states to have K-12 computer science standards and one of 34 states, plus Washington, D.C., to count computer science toward high school graduation math or science requirements.
“We are pleased to include WVUCE-STEM as a partner in our efforts to expand computer science education across the state,” Paine said. “We recognize that computer science is fundamental for our children’s future success. We must provide all of our students with the opportunity to become producers, not just consumers, of computer science.”
