Attracting Students to Computer Studies

1
Attracting Students to Computer Studies

• Imperial Oil Summer Institute
• August 18, 2004
• Myra Darling,
• Chris Stephenson, Michelle Vidberg
• session participants

2
Enrolment

• Is it true to say that enrolment is declining?
• If so, why?
• What can be done to reverse the trend?

3

• Solution/Strategy
• Lobby post-secondary to make IC courses a
  requirement for admission
• Highlight for students the post-secondary
  programs that recommend an IC course
• Bring back former students post-secondary
  liaison reps to speak about value of IC courses

• Problem/Challenge
• Computer studies not a compulsory course /
  diploma requirement

4

• Solution/Strategy
• Tell students they don't have to finish in 4
  years
• Encourage students to explore a variety of
  options
• Engage parents in this way of thinking too
• Get into local communities/associations
• Get mothers and fathers on board
• Use parent interviews to encourage enrolment in
  further IC courses
• Appeal to Grade 8s (roadshow)
• Consider gender issues when speaking to parents

• Problem/Challenge
• Changing to a 4-year high-school program

5

• Solution/Strategy
• Present to guidance teachers annually (e.g. Show
  sample projects)
• Give them a list of previous skills needed
• Make a map of courses for Guidance students
• Give them (Karen B.'s) list of post-secondary
  programs recommending computer studies courses
  (Info Book)
• Invite counsellors to lessons/guest speakers
• Assisting guidance with course changes
• Give guidance a copy of text that ESL students
  will have to understand

• Problem/Challenge
• Lack of knowledge in Guidance dept of computer
  studies courses

6

• Solution/Strategy
• Ensure that Computer Science and Computer
  Engineering expectations are covered in TTI
  course or else remove the course completely
• Team-teach TTI with Tech if possible
• Bring parents in by grade to educate them on the
  choices available to their children
• Bring in guest speakers
• Teachers visit math and tech classes in Gr. 9 to
  promote Computer Studies
• Ask math teacher to identify students who are
  strong in math and approach them about taking
  Computer Studies courses
• Approach local colleges/universities for career
  promotion day

• Problem/Challenge
• Lack of control in direction of students'
  highschool careers

7

• Solution/Strategy
• Lobby to have them removed from tech placed in
  separate curriculum document
• Lobby to change the codes
• Promote Computer Studies as a separate department
• Lobby to have M courses renamed
• Lobby to make TIK and TEE pre-requisites for
  Grade 11

• Problem/Challenge
• Computer science linked with tech therefore
  students don't take computer courses

8

• Solution/Strategy
• Include Computer Studies news in every school
  newsletter
• Include news in students' own languages on a
  class website where parents can see it

• Problem/Challenge
• Parental knowledge/perception

9

• Solution/Strategy
• Lobby to have post-secondary institutions
  recognize computer studies courses as
  pre-requisites

• Problem/Challenge
• Lack of post-secondary recognition

10

• Solution/Strategy
• Departments need to work together instead of
  competing
• Implement grade teams within the staff to develop
  focus and learning strategies, to deal with
  grade-specific issues and to help eliminate
  inter-departmental competition

• Problem/Challenge
• Same curriculum being taught in different areas
  (including IDC courses) therefore competition for
  enrolment
• Course code pirating

11

• Solution/Strategy
• Think outside the box!
• Encourage PD
• Tailor program to suit students' interests
• Take kids on COOL class trips (LASER tag,
  helicopter simulator, GM plant, etc.)
• Encourage teacher enrolment in subject
  organizations like ACSE
• Involve kids in competitions, clubs
• Goal-oriented delivery of curriculum (e.g. Game
  programming)

• Problem/Challenge
• Program delivery, lack of creativity

12

• Solution/Strategy
• More dialogue between board's computer studies
  teachers
• Exemplars

• Problem/Challenge
• Teachers lowering their standards to keep their
  enrolment up

13

• Solution/Strategy
• TEE Girls-only course
• Wired Women
• Women in Motion
• Have colleague of other gender deal with student
  if necessary
• Creative assignment problems
• Communicate with parents

• Problem/Challenge
• Ethnic/gender issues

14

• Solution/Strategy
• Demonstrate the necessity for up-to-date
  equipment
• Discuss needs during staff evaluations
• Learn about TERI funding
• Corporate scholarships
• Competitions (with prizes!)
• Ask, ask, ask
• Beg, beg, beg

• Problem/Challenge
• Lack of money to deliver program