About CS4DLH
During CS Education Week, the National Center for CS Education (NCCSE), the City of Duluth, and Infosys Foundation USA launched CS4DLH to expand access to computer science learning for students in Duluth, MN. The two-hour launch event was held during CS Education Week at the College of St. Scholastica (CSS) and focused on elementary and middle school teachers and administrators in Duluth. Currently, Minnesota is last in the nation with less than 1 in 4 high schools teaching CS courses (2021 State of CS Education Report). This project initially targets elementary and middle schools as a way to reach all students, including those most frequently marginalized in CS such as female, Black, Indigenous, disabled, and other students, and ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to learn CS.
During the launch event, educators engaged in hands-on engagement with CS learning, completing activities that introduce programming, robotics, and computational thinking. CSS education and computer science students and faculty volunteered to lead activities with Duluth educators.
What is Computer Science (CS)?
For years, schools have emphasized the importance of students learning to use technology. However, this often means a focus on helping students consume technology, using computers, apps, and the Internet. By learning about computer science, students are empowered to become creators of technology, playing an active role in developing the next generation of technology while applying deeper critical thinking skills to existing technology.
The K12 CS Framework and CSTA K12 Standards use the following definition: the study of computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their hardware and software designs, their [implementation], and their impact on society” (Tucker et. al, 2003, p. 6).
CS4DLH Partners
The National Center for Computer Science Education champions, researches and provides equitable computer science education opportunities for K16 students and educators.
Duluth is a port city in Minnesota on the shore of Lake Superior and the state's fourth largest city. Duluth is home to the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge in Canal Park which spans the canal and provides access to the harbor, and is inspiration for the CS4DLH logo.
Infosys Foundation USA was established in 2015 with the mission of expanding computer science and maker education to K-12 students and teachers across the United States, with a specific focus on increasing access to underrepresented communities.