Computer Science Reimagined.
Center for Curriculum Redesign has created 4D CS, a secondary level Computer Science program that makes modern content and skills accessible for students of all levels.
Curriculum
4D CS provides broad-scope content, competencies, and projects in CS-1 and CS-2 and advanced pathways in Game Development and App Development in CS-3 and CS-4.
Professional Learning
We’ve created Professional Development for our 9th, 10th, and 11th grade courses, with an emphasis on providing all of the training, resources, and support needed by teachers of other subjects to cross-train to teach CS.
Coming Soon
4D CS is currently being piloted in grades 8-11, while the grade 12 options for Game Development and App Development are being created to launch in Fall 2022.
About
Opportunity for Students
4D CS has been piloted in Maine since the Fall of 2019. More than 150 students in Waterville Public Schools and other Maine schools have participated in one or more of these elective courses. Our research has shown that even students without strong academic backgrounds and little prior interest in pursuing a tech career have been successful. They’ve developed confidence in their content knowledge and social/emotional skills (collaboration, creativity, growth mindset) and continue to enroll in subsequent courses at a high rate.
Professional Learning
Opportunity for Teachers
We continue to offer Computer Science professional learning cohorts for middle and high school teachers. The flexibility of the blended program allows teachers to work at their own pace, and the course also includes 3-4 staggered synchronous sessions with an expert instructor so they can work collaboratively and establish teacher community. Each course provides 40+ contact hours and up to 12 CS badges are awarded through our partnership with Thomas College. Our next cohorts for CS-1, CS-2, and CS-3 will be offered in Spring and Summer 2022. Please complete this Google form if you’re interested.
PD courses for CS-1 and CS-2 are aimed at teachers with little CS content knowledge, so the training focuses on both the content and the teaching strategies they’ll need to be successful.
PD course for CS-3 and CS-4 are built for teachers with some programming experience so they can master all that’s needed to teach with Unreal Engine and Android Studio. *Teachers without programming experience can still learn to teach these courses, as we provide additional resources that they can use to get up to speed.
Long-term Success
Preparing Students for the Future
These courses will allow learners to develop a deep knowledge of essential computer science that will enable them to obtain certifications, jobs, and the foundational understandings needed for higher education courses of study (within or outside of computer science).
