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Computer Science Classroom Expectations and Procedures
Computer Science Classroom Expectations and Procedures
There is a common misconception in education that students today have grown up with technology and being ‘digital natives’ better equip them to adopt and understand technologies than the generations that came before them, however scientific evidence suggests this is not the case (Kirschner & De Bruyckere, 2017).
Educators need to make considerations on how to guide students into the use of this technology in safe, ethical, and responsible ways there is nothing like the first day of class to establish policies and procedures for students (Pilcher, 2018; Wong, Wong, & Seroyer, 2009).
This lesson is designed for the first day of class in computer science for high-school aged students, but could be adopted to other courses and age groups. It aligns with ISTE’s Digital Citizenship standard, 2b for students to operate in a legal and ethical manner online (ISTE, 2016).
Our academic handbook includes a number of specific rules in regards to using devices and the network in a way that is safe. Going over this in most classes might be a bit redundant for students, but Computer Science arguably deserves a deeper dive as the nature of the course empowers students with further specialized information and skills than what many standard courses usually cover. AP Computer Science Principles, for example, explicitly cover concepts like network architecture and cyber-security as part of the course (College Board, 2020).
While a slide presentation offers a quick glimpse into what is acceptable in the course, the real driving factor here is a course contract to be signed by both the student and a parental guardian. Est+ablishing a course contract is a useful way to reinforce expectations and expected behavior (Watson, 2011). Both the slides and the contract are a useful at a glance resource to include either posted in the classroom physically or on a classroom online portal.
References:
College Board. (2020). AP Computer Science Principles. Retrieved from: https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-computer-science-principles?appId=282
ISTE (2016). ISTE Standards for Students. Retrieved from: https://www.iste.org/standards/for-students
Kirschner, P. A., & De Bruyckere, P. (2017). The myths of the digital native and the multitasker. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 135–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.001
Pilcher, J.K. (2018). Who's Engaged? Climb the Learning Ladder to See. Studer Education.
Watson, A. (2011). Teaching Students Routines for Computer Use. Retrieved from: https://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/routines-for-computer-use
Wong, H. K., Wong, R. T., & Seroyer, C. (2009). The first days of school: How to be an effective teacher. Mountain View, CA: Harry K. Wong Publications.
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