The horrible state of computer science K-12 education in the US and why it's important for your career, well-being, and society to work with youth.

1. The Little Girl Geek
Wants to Play
Jennifer Argüello
{SheCodes} Conference
August 9, 2013

2. Your First Geek Moment

3. A Computer Scientist is Born

4. 20%
2%
4%
74%
US Public Schools
High Schools that don't offer CS
HS that offer AP CS
HS that offer CS
Middle Schools and Elementary Schools
~10 million
HS Students
State of US CS K12 Ed
California K12 Enrollment vs. AP CS
Exam Takers

5. Women in Computing

6. Deterrents from computing
 Irrelevant curriculum
 Lecture based instruction instead of project-based
 Teaching styles that discourage collaboration
 Failure proof environments
 Absence of role models and mentors
 Limited visibility or inaccurate perceptions of
computing careers

7. Are we doomed?

8. The Future is NOW

9. CS in the classroom

10. CS 101

11. Benefits
 Just showing you exist goes a long way
 Engaging and teaching youth grows your facilitation
skills and increases subject area mastery
 You become a better learner and problem solver
 They inspire you more than you think you inspire them
 YOU ARE CREATING THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE!

12. How to get involved?
 Volunteer for programs
 Ask your company for financial and in-kind support of CS
schools and programs
 Be a mentor
 Advocate for CS Certification and adoption of CS
curriculum standards

14. More Resources
 http://www.ncwit.org/sites/default/files/resources/bt
n_02272013web.pdf
 http://www.exploringcs.org/resources/cs-statistics
 http://www.code.org/stats
 http://changetheequation.org/stemtistics-facts-figures
 NCWIT K-12 Alliance Members

15. Let the Little Girl
(or Boy) Geek
Play

16. Thank you!
www.jenniferarguello.com
jarguello@gmail.com
@engijen