Computer science programs have grown quickly in Iowa classrooms. In fact, educators in NewBoCo’s K-12 program say 2022 was their biggest year yet.
So it makes sense to prepare students as early as possible for the world they’ll be living and working in.
But how do you design computer classes that make sense to kids younger than second grade? And how do you prepare teachers to handle those classes?
That’s where Tiny Techies comes in.
NewBoCo’s Tiny Techies professional development provides prekindergarten through second-grade teachers with training on foundational computer science concepts and how those concepts can be taught to young students.
The daylong workshop allows teachers to work with “Squishy Circuit” materials, basic robotics, pattern recognition and more.
The Tiny Techies program was created by NewBoCo’s K-12 Education Team to support early childhood educators who want to integrate computer science into their teaching.
“It totally changed my teaching,” said Lori Randall, a second-grade teacher at Osage Community School District in Osage. “Tiny Techies promotes engagement of all levels of learners.”
No screens, laptops
Teaching the fundamentals of computer science to such young students involves no screens. No laptops. No iPads.
Instead, organizers say, Tiny Techies help students develop computational thinking and problem-solving skills.
“Tiny Techies is approachable, creative and gives educators the confidence to help our youngest learners think like computer scientists,” says Samantha Dahlby, NewBoCo director of K-12 education.
Alison Mohr, the assistant K-12 director, says that while Tiny Techies can give young children a good foundation for computer science classes later on, it also provides them with skills they will need no matter what they’re working on.
“”They are more prepared for any subject,” she says. “This program really focuses on thinking skills and problem-solving, and the skills that kids will need in order to be successful everywhere.
“So it will help them in computer science, yes, but it goes much further than that.”
All backgrounds
More than 200 educators participated in Tiny Techies workshops with NewBoCo in 2022. Participants came from classrooms, public libraries, Iowa State Extension offices and day care preschools.
“We worked with them to help understand what computer science is, and what that means for their youngest learners,” Mohr says.
“So we had to ask: How do we provide developmentally appropriate opportunities for them to experience that? And in most cases, how do we integrate that into what they’re already doing in the classroom, so we’re taking activities or resources that they’re probably already using with their students that they are comfortable and familiar with?
“That way, teachers can use the same activity that they’ve always been doing. But now we’re providing additional vocabulary words, and kind of taking it up another notch.”
Just like NewBoCo’s other computer science training for K-12 teachers, the Tiny Techies program puts teachers in their students’ shoes during the sessions.
“We go through a lot of the lessons with a student lens, which helps the teachers understand where their students might get tripped up,” Dahlby says. “So that’s a great experience. The teachers get to think about the instructional strategies for how they would actually teach it.”
Finding funding
In an effort to make Tiny Techies more accessible, multiple programs offer funding for teachers to attend training and receive more than $700 of materials at no cost.
One source of funding is the Iowa STEM Council, which is accepting applications for awards to cover the professional development program, materials, stipends, and credit The deadline to apply is Tuesday, Feb. 28, with workshops offered this summer.
Those eligible include public and private school PreK-12 teachers, youth organization leaders, informal education professionals, home-school associations and others who deliver STEM education programming. Applications are at iowastem.org/Scale-Up-Application.
Another opportunity to attend Tiny Techies is through funding from the Department of Education during Iowa’s Computer Science Professional Development Week, June 12-16.
The week will have multiple computer science professional development options for PreK through12th grade educators. Two sessions of Tiny Techies will be open for Iowa educators. Interested educators can complete an interest survey at https://forms.gle/FAqU4142TDwigrqV8.
“We are thrilled that we had the chance to work with so many teachers last year, and we are hoping that those numbers keep growing,” Dahlby said. “Computer science is going to be a huge part of our students’ future, and this program really helps them to take their first steps on that journey.”
To learn more about NewBoCo’s Tiny Techies program, or to apply to take part, visit https://newbo.co/education/educators/tiny-techies-for-educators/
