CSbyUs catalyzes a network of undergraduate mentors to develop and tailor an open source computer science (CS) curricula to the needs of late elementary school and middle school students across diverse North Carolina communities. The curriculum creates an inclusive vision for CS education and is designed to increase student enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, CS and to sustain student interest in STEM-related fields.

This team built on the work of the 2018-2019 team, who developed an innovative, customizable, open source computer science curriculum that they delivered to middle school-aged learners in an after-school setting in Durham, with a particular focus on engaging female-identifying students and students of color who have traditionally been underrepresented in STEM fields.

In partnership with #IAmCS – a campaign to make computer science education and careers accessible to all girls in North Carolina – the 2019-2020 team worked with Mary Hemphill, director of Computer Science & Technology Education at the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, and the state of North Carolina to design a 15-hour open source computer science curriculum, comprised of 30-minute modules, for third, fourth and fifth graders. The team tested the curriculum in Durham public schools and, in Fall 2020 presented their lessons, materials and assessment data to the N.C. State Board of Education. Ultimately, if the curriculum is adopted for statewide implementation, it will go into every third, fourth and fifth grade classroom in North Carolina.

Timing

Summer 2019 – Spring 2020

Team Outputs

Aria Chernik. $50,000 grant awarded from NC Department of Public Instruction. 2021.

Open Source Computer Science Curriculum

Computer Science for NC Students (Fortin Foundation Bass Connections Virtual Showcase 2020)

CSbyUs website (winner, EHDx 2020 website competition )

Videos

Aria Chernik #IAmCS - Open Learning

#IAmCS An Open Source Approach for Equity-focused CS Education: 2019 All Things Open Lightning Talk

Reflections

Jay Patel

This Team in the News

Faculty Perspectives: Aria Chernik

Educational Innovation: Beyond Methods, Into Experiences

Senior Spotlight: Reflections from the Class of 2021

Duke Innovates Together to Shape What and How We Learn

Bass Connections Team Creates Computer Science Curriculum for North Carolina Elementary Schools

Bringing Computer Science Education to Young Students in North Carolina

How Inequities in Computer Science Prompted Three Educators to Innovate

Duke Faculty and Students Design Open Source Computer Science Curriculum for North Carolina Schools

Duke Hosts North Carolina Teachers and Principals at Open Design Summit

SSRI Faculty Aria Chernik Chosen As Speaker for All Things Open 2019 Lightning Talk Lineup

This project team was originally part of the Education & Human Development theme of Bass Connections, which ended in 2022. See earlier related team, Open Source Pedagogy, Research + Innovation (OSPRI) Lab (2018-2019).

Image: CSbyUs launch event at Duke University, Fall 2018, courtesy of Duke Social Science Research Institute