Computer Science an Expectation in Boston Public Schools
Computer science, computational thinking, and programming skills are now seen as an expectation, not just an elective, in K-12 schools across Massachusetts. The Office of Instructional and Information Technology (OIIT) currently works in conjunction with the Boston Public School community to ensure that students are future-ready by providing the necessary resources for schools and teachers.
OIIT’s Digital Learning Team believes that “computational thinking is the problem solving skill that is behind programming, including breaking down a problem into smaller steps, designing logical algorithms to solve it, and troubleshooting when something goes wrong. Often called the ‘new literacy,’ computational thinking is a foundational skill that is essential in any discipline or career field that students choose to go into. When we teach ‘coding’ or programming, our goal is to teach students computational thinking.”
Some Boston Public Schools have already incorporated computational thinking in pre-K through high school programs. For example, kindergarten and elementary school students are introduced to kid-friendly software such as Kodable and The Foos as a way to learn how to break down problems into smaller steps. They receive hands-on hardware experience through the LEGO WeDo tool, which helps students learn, design, and construct 3D models. In middle and high school grade levels, students learn to program in languages such as Java, Python, and HTML. They work with Arduino kits and Raspberry Pis while also being introduced to the AP computer science curriculum.