Understanding the NYS Computer Science & Digital Fluency Learning Standards
Course Overview
The New York State K12 Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards (CSDF)[1] were adopted by the Board of Regents in December 2020. The new standards focus on five key concepts:
- Impacts of Computing
- Computational Thinking
- Networks & System Design
- Cybersecurity
- Digital Literacy
Each concept is divied into sub-concepts, ranging in a wide variety of standards. These standards are expected to be met by students at the end of each gradeband.
In this course, students will have the opportunity to learn about these standards and what they may look like implemented in their classroom. Not every school offers computer science, but every school is expected to implement these standards starting September 1, 2024. This course will expose educators and administrators to each of the standards and provide support with examples. This topic is important to teach in order to bring awareness to computer science. Many teachers of other content areas do not know the scope of the subject, and the potential it can provide students with. Computer science prepares students with twenty-first century skills and creates better problem-solvers. Increasing awareness of the subject will increase the likelihood of creating students better prepared to live in the world around them.
Needs Assessment
This mini-course is intended to expand the range of knowledge around the computer science field. It is much more than coding but very few members of the education field fully understand the wide range of possibilities. Many of the skills and standards covered in the CS&DF standards overlap with other content areas. By the end of the course, educators will be able to justify the importance of the need for computer science to be taught in all schools at all grade levels.
Performance Objectives
After completing this mini-course, learners will be able to:
- Understand the benefits of introducing computer science to students before high school graudation.
- Differentiate between each strand of the NYS Computer Science and Digital Fluency learning standards.
- Apply learning and modify an already existing lessons to include muliple CS&DF standards.
- Create a lesson plan that successfully ties CS&DF to an existing standard in a separate content area of choice.
- Reflect on the implementation of the standards being met at each grade band level.
- Evaluate their district's plan for meeting the needs of all students to meet all standards by their high school graduation.
Course Units
This mini-course includes the following units. Click the title of a unit to go to its page.
Unit 1: Understanding the NYS CS & DF Learning Standards
Lesson 0: What are the standards?
Lesson 1: Impacts of Computing
Lesson 2: Computational Thinking
Lesson 3: Networks & System Design
Lesson 4: Cybersecruity
Lesson 5: Digital Literacy
Unit 2: Impacts of Computer Science on Education
Lesson 1: Impacts on Students
Lesson 2: Impacts on Educators
Lesson 3: Impacts on Industry
Unit 3: Teaching Computer Science in YOUR School
Lesson 1: Developing a District-Wide Implementation Plan (2 Approaches)
Lesson 1a: Piece-wise Technique
Lesson 1b: Creating a CS Course
Lesson 2: How do I become CS certified?
Unit 4: Developing Resources for Computer Science Awareness
Lesson 1: Creating Visual Guides for Stakeholders
Lesson 2: Using Online Resources
Linked Page References
External References
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Resnick, M. (2024). Generative AI and Creative Learning: Concerns, Opportunities, and Choices. An MIT Exploration of Generative AI. https://doi.org/10.21428/e4baedd9.cf3e35e5
Shambaugh, R. N., & Magliaro, S. G. (1997). Analysis of a learning task. In Mastering the possibilities: A process approach to instructional design (pp. 107-113). Allyn & Bacon.