CS4NorthCal is a research practice partnership between four California State University campuses and WestEd. It focuses on supporting secondary teachers new to computer science. In order to offer computer science courses to more students, the state of California needs more teachers who are highly qualified in the discipline. Since no single-subject credential for computer science currently exists in California, teachers receive preparation through supplementary authorization programs.
San Francisco State University, San Jose State University, Sonoma State University, and Sacramento State University are developing a three-pronged strategy to support these teachers, which includes
- scaling a supplementary authorization program where teachers learn foundational computer science topics,
- creating professional learning communities for newly authorized teachers, and
- establishing a peer mentorship program to offer teachers ongoing support.
WestEd serves as the research lead of CS4NorthCal. Our research examines how best to design certification courses, professional learning communities, and peer mentorship programs to prepare teachers of varying disciplinary and geographic backgrounds to teach high school computer science courses equitably.
