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April 15: More than 600 LA students visit UCLA for real-life applications of computer science
- 04-14-2010
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Funded by a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, the field trip is an extension of the partnership between UCLA and LAUSD that addresses the lack of quality computer science education at high school levels and even greater disparities among schools with large numbers of students of color.
Hundreds of local high school students to visit UCLA for day of computer science
By Kathy Wyer April 14, 2010
More than 600 high school students from the Los Angeles Unified School District will visit the UCLA campus Thursday, April 15, for a half-day event centered on computer science education.
Hosted by a partnership between UCLA's Graduate School of Education & Information Studies (GSE&IS) and the LAUSD, the event will feature presentations by computer science and robotic specialists from UCLA, Disney, Google and Spelman College in Atlanta.
The event is an outgrowth of a $2.5 million grant awarded by the National Science Foundation to GSE&IS to fund specialized training for LAUSD teachers in instructing computer science. The curricular program, "Exploring Computer Science," aims to increase engaging and rigorous computer science learning opportunities at the high school level and serves 900 students in grades 10 through 12 from 16 LAUSD schools with high concentrations of students of color.
"The field trip is a great way for students to meet computer scientists, learn how computers connect the world and have a presence in their own lives, and envision exciting possibilities for their futures," said Jane Margolis, a GSE&IS senior researcher and the principal investigator on the NSF grant. "This program addresses current disparities in access to college-preparatory education and brings college-preparatory high school computer science education to schools with high numbers of African American and Latino/a students."
In addition to a campus tour, students will hear presentations describing the link between computer science and technology innovations across multiple fields and disciplines, including robotics, film animation, theater-set design and mobile phone technology.
Speakers will include Dr. Andrew Williams of Spelman College and the Spelman College Robotics Team, "Spelbots"; Karlene Nguyen and Jonathan Ross, software engineers and specialists in online gaming at Disney Online Studios; and Jeff Burke, executive director of the Center for Research in Engineering, Media and Performance at UCLA.
Computer science experts from Google, and the Center for Excellence in Engineering and Diversity at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science will also speak with students.
"Events and programs like 'Exploring Computer Science' are essential in helping to increase the number of minorities and women who gain exposure to the important fields of computer science and engineering," said Vijay K. Dhir, dean of UCLA Engineering. "As the birthplace of the Internet, we look forward to helping students discover the possibilities."
"Exploring Computer Science" moves forward the Obama administration's commitment to advance computer science education in U.S. public schools. The curriculum, which correlates to California state math and science content and skills standards, enables students to move beyond basic "point-and-click" to achieve high-level skills, including problem-solving and logical thinking, and offers students the opportunity to engage in real-world, socially relevant applications of computer science.
Along with Margolis, Deborah Estrin, a professor of computer science at UCLA Engineering, serves as co-principal investigator on the NSF-funded program.
Margolis is the author of the award-winning book "Stuck in the Shallow End: Education, Race, and Computing" (MIT Press 2002).
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