About Outreach

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ABOUT OUTREACH

The Department of Computer Science Outreach Program focuses on teaching K-12 kids Computational Thinking. Computational Thinking is a critical thinking skill that, according to some, is a required skill for success in the 21st century. For most students, exposure to computational thinking as a problem-solving tool comes late, or not at all.

Since Fall 2010, the ISU Computer Science Department has been making efforts to change this in Iowa K-12 schools with a series of events and workshops designed to help K-12 educators, parents, and students learn about computational thinking. We also participate in Science Bound and Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) programs on ISU campus.

Since Fall 2018, the department has worked closely with Iowa 4H Youth Development Program with the goal of developing and disseminating Computer Science education to all the counties of Iowa. We are incorporating topics from the latest CSTA K-12 Computer Science standards into our workshop materials.