Getting to a Future of
Computing Education
Summit
Joseph Urban
Texas Tech University
March 12, 2010
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Outline
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March 12, 2010
Overview
Motivations for CPATH
Vision for CPATH
Goals and Objectives for CPATH
Impact
Challenges
Summary
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Overview
A CISE challenge
“Transform undergraduate computing education on a
national scale.”
Why?
“It is essential to U.S. leadership and economic
competitiveness across all sectors of society.”
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CPATH Overview
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Provides leadership in transforming undergraduate computing
education on a national scale to meet challenges and
opportunities of global economy and future workforce needs
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New program for 2007 following a year of national workshops
for public input
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2007 CISE CPATH Team
• Harriet Taylor and Anita LaSalle (CNS)
• Joseph Urban (CCF)
• Sylvia Spengler (IIS)
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CPATH History
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ICER workshops for public input in 2005 and 2006
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CPATH program announced in September 2006
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First competition
• 141 proposals, 118 projects
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27 projects funded
• $6M CPATH funds
• $5M Educational opportunity/special project funds
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More comprehensive evaluation added to 10 projects to be involved in
quasi-experimental programmatic evaluation led by external evaluator
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Outside the Proposer
Community
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Harriet Taylor participation in the 2007
Google Faculty Summit and
communication with professional
societies
Joseph Urban participation in the
September 28, 2007 ACM Education
Council Meeting
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Motivations for the
CPATH Program
• needs of the U.S. workforce
• changes in national demographics
• shifts in global competitiveness
• movement towards multidisciplinary domains
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of knowledge in computing applications
integrative nature of the field within the
discipline and across other domains of
knowledge, and
future [grand] challenges facing the field and
country
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CPATH Vision
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U.S. workforce with computing competencies and skills
imperative to the Nation’s health, security, and prosperity
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U. S. workforce prepared to contribute to sustained leadership
in computing in a wide range of application domains and career
fields
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U. S. workforce with mastery of critical computing concepts,
methodologies and techniques to face future challenges
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2010 SIGCSE Report FOCE
Summit Panel
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Goals and Objectives of CPATH
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Help create a diverse, agile workforce
Nurture a workforce capable of leadership in the global
innovative enterprise
Build awareness of the strategic importance of undergraduate
computing education
Implement new models for undergraduate computing education
Capitalize upon changing demographics in the U.S. workforce
Engage national leaders
Nurture computing education leaders
Promote the formation of partnerships
Empower transformation of undergraduate computing education
Promote organizational change
March 12, 2010
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CPATH Impact
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Raised the national consciousness about
transformation of computing education
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Reached large number of geographic areas and
institution types
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Established collaborations with many disciplines to
foster new pathways that will broaden the scope of
undergraduate computing
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CPATH Challenges
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National outreach
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Dealing with K-12 issues and community
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Working with and dealing with professional
societies, particularly ABET
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Moving beyond curricular revision ideas to
institution transformation models – avoiding
incremental changes
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Encouraging researchers to be involved in
educational efforts and fundamentally linking
research and educational efforts
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More Challenges
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Blurring traditional boundaries and models of practice
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Future funding for larger implementation projects
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Collaborations with industrial partners and international
efforts
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Developing leaders to sustain communities
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Changing the image of computing across the nation
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Conclusion
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Off to a good start – have raised awareness around the
nation
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Importance to American competitiveness – an essential
link to make
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Timing – perhaps now is the right time, achieving buy-in
that was not possible before
CISE must lead the way in linking research
and education in computing disciplines
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You Can Participate
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Involvement in CPATH projects
Use CPATH project results
Explore professional society activities
described next
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