by CIO Staff

Group Offers Up Free Computer Science Lessons

News
Apr 13, 20062 mins
IT Leadership

By now it’s old news that the U.S. educational system is lacking in technology-related subject areas, and Chris Stephenson, an executive director with the Computer Science Teachers Association, is attempting to address the issue by bettering the computer science courses that American students undergo, the Associated Press reports via the New York Post.

Stephenson, with financial backing from IBM to the tune of $75,000, is offering computer science-related teaching resources to be used in kindergarten through 12th grade, according to the AP.

The group worked with IBM to create and test lesson plans and other resources to aid educators in teaching various computer skills, like Web design and Java programming, the AP reports.

Similar projects have been launched in the past, but Stephenson says this one is different because its materials aren’t just repackaged training manuals intended for professionals, according to the AP.

“This is really kind of a new approach,” Stephenson told the AP. “The thing that computer science teachers say they want more than anything else is access to good resources. It is not exaggerating in any way to say they are really desperate for them.”

In addition to its funding, IBM designated three people to help develop the resources, the AP reports.

Check out our CIO News Alerts and Tech Informer pages for more updated news coverage.