I maintain a computer science education blog roll with as many good blogs for computer science teachers as I can find. It's a good like for the most part. Some of the blogs listed are seldom updated though. And some are really more general purpose education or not as focused on CS education. (Doug Peterson's blog is an example but I never miss it.) So I decided to write about the five best in my humble opinion. Just to get people started. Other than the first, these are in no particular order. I always read these blogs.
If you only read on blog it should probably be Mark Guzdial's Computing Education Blog Mark is probably doing more research in how to teach computer science right than anyone else I know. He talks about the work they are doing at Georgia Tech both in terms of teaching new and different courses there as well as the Georgia Computes! program that is helping to develop more CS education at the HS level in Georgia. I wish I wrote half as well as Mark. Whether if be his commentary on the various articles he finds or information about his own work or discussion of things his graduate students are doing what you will find here are well thought out, well written and informative posts. His are the first posts I read most days.
For some often contrary opinions but always interesting reads try Mike Zamansky Mike used to run the computer science program at Stuyvesant High School in New York City (a top public magnet school). These days he is working on the honors program at Hunter College. He has strong opinions and a long background in teaching CS to back them up. If you want someone who doesn't just take ideas at face value Mike is the man to read.
The small school perspective is a highlight on posts by Garth's CS Teacher Blog Garth Flint is a teacher at a private Catholic school in western Montana. Garth always gives me things to think about. He writes about curriculum (He's always trying new things), teaching, and even some system management. In many small schools the CS teacher is also tech support. I love his writing style as well.
Doug Bergman is the award winning head of Computer Science at Porter-Gaud School in Charleston, SC. Doug is very innovative and a huge proponent of project based learning. He is also great at getting grant money to buy new hardware for teaching CS. Robots, Kinects, and even HoloLens devices show up in his lab (and blog posts) as he has students work on very interesting projects. Doug gets excited and it shows.
I recommend my blog as well. I think to think I write with a teacher voice but my background in industry over the years gives me a different perspective. Plus I link to good stuff from the (possibly too many) blogs I follow as well other things I find on social media. If you don't care about my ideas you may still find value in the stuff I share. Sharing good ideas from others is my passion.
3 comments:
I'm flattered to be included.
I really wish more K12 CS teachers blogged and blogged regularly. There are plenty of "thought leaders" and other voices out there but it would be great if more actual teachers had the time and energy to regularly put thoughts to virtual paper.
All great blogs and I read them all. No women on your list. :) I only have a few on mine and they blog infrequently. I, too, wish more CS teachers blogged. I remember my first CSTA conference when the keynote speaker asked if any of us blogged. I think there were about 10 people (out of a couple hundred) who raised their hands. Twitter and Facebook are great, but they don't allow you to extend your thoughts effectively.
There are a couple of women, including you Laura, on my full list. Most of them don't blog very frequently though. I really wish they would all blog more often.
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