A new partnership is now offering Minnesota teachers a paid professional development opportunity to learn and teach Mobile Computer Science Principles (Mobile CSP) in a concurrent enrollment format in their high schools.
Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU) and the National Center for Computer Science Education at the College of St. Scholastica now offer Mobile CSP, a free, high-quality high school curriculum that provides a broad look at computer science, develops students’ ability to design apps for mobile devices, and works to ensure all students, regardless of background, are ready for careers or college by teaching them 21st century skills such as collaboration and creativity. While computer science is a growing presence in many rural communities, only 37% of rural or small-town schools teach coding, compared to almost half of suburban schools, according to a 2017 Gallup poll.
SMSU’s interdisciplinary professional development course that teaches Mobile CSP, IDST 164: Essentials of Computer Science, will enroll teachers with graduate coursework in any discipline. To qualify to offer the free concurrent-enrollment curriculum in their high school and receive up to a $2000 stipend, teachers must complete the Mobile CSP summer professional development and academic-year research components.
Learn more about Mobile CSP and the Concurrent Enrollment project at mobile-csp.org/ce or by emailing project coordinators at info@mobile-csp.org.
