Less Code, More Community: Justice-Centered Computing Education in K-12
Date:
As the tech industry has exploded in the 21st century, so has K-12 computer science education. However, I argue that instead of teaching kids how to code, we need to teach them how to understand how computing influences their lives. Computers and algorithms are reshaping society, for better and for worse, but all the focus in CS education has gone into teaching programming. Our students need to be informed about how computational systems profile us using our data, invade every aspect of our lives, and exacerbate existing injustices. Instead of worrying about Terminator-like AI, I want young people to analyze how technology is already exploiting marginalized communities and what they can do to help. I want computing curriculum to draw upon the work of women and scholars of color who have been sounding the alarm for years about algorithmic bias that reinforces racism and sexism. My research aims to make this a reality by collaborating with K-12 computer science teachers to integrate these concepts into their teaching using real world examples. More kids would like CS class, if only it was less about writing code and more about building a better world.