Dear Ms. Flinn,

           thank you for sharing your thoughtful insights on AI education. You make a perfect case for charter schools which combine a measure of State oversight with freedom from State oversight. Here are my observations:

I was amused to notice that instructions for the TI calculator are in your mathematics books; the letter "T" may explain why? 

To incentivize Artificial Intelligence courses still begs the question of how? Privately, a good deal of support comes from corporations and institutions. To do this on a national level will take a long time. 

The conflict between knowing how to teach and knowing a subject well enough to teach is understood. I can imagine that relatively few Computer Science graduates will elect to teach because competitive salaries are just not there. I was also "twiceamused" to recognize that knowing a subject matter, plus teaching experience, is not enough to write a textbook on Artificial Intelligence; which I just did.

Thanks for your contribution

Frank 




On Sat, Jul 27, 2019 at 12:13 PM Brenda Flinn <twiceamused@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello all,

I work in support services at a high school and I get to somewhat observe daily activity. I would like to pass on some simple observations as you consider things.

First, Texas tried to add computer science to the curriculum, but recently dropped it. It was a difficult fit which I will offer two reasons in my opinion:

(1) how to use a TI calculator instructions are in the math books, computing instructions are absent, and

(2) few teachers are prepared to teach computer science.

Now, like it or not, Texas heavily influences textbook content for all states. Changing the content is a 20 year political endeavor even digitally. And on top of that, state boards of education must approve books used in the classroom. For example, English teachers can only teach literature from a choice of books on an approved list.

So, I would offer that you make a better way for certifying educators to teach computer science. Computer science college graduates are locked out of teaching in public schools because they lack the teacher education requirement hours mandated by states. Encourage universities to offer computer science and educator courses in one degree much like that of music educators.

Incentivize AI challenges attached to high school mathematics classes as an extension of basic, current lesson plans. School participation in interscholastic competitions is active and a source of pride (like debate or social studies). You have to work with those judging graded interscholastic competitions to get one going in AI that matches what is on the plate in the classroom.

Finally, an easy to navigate, responsive website is needed with the excitement of AI news, clear pathways on how to become an educator of computer science in each state ... all geared toward an age 13 to 18 audience plus their teachers and parents.

Okay, I hope you can use these observations as you grow. I can offer you latex development for printing, website creation and maintenance, and content writing.

Please let me know if I can be of assistance.

Sincerely,
Brenda Flinn

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--
Frank Wolf D.B.A.

12 Spring Hollow Circle
Asheville, North Carolina, 28805, USA
(828) 989 9259

 
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