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SIG for Computing Teachers

Read the current issue of the Journal for Computing Teachers

The Special Interest Group for Computing Teachers (SIGCT) seeks to enhance the expertise of its members and to strengthen the teaching of computing as an academic discipline primarily in PK-12 education. We consider the teaching of computing to include:

• Use of computers and systems-level software
• Use of general-purpose and special-purpose computer applications
• Functioning of computers and related systems
• Design, implementation, and testing and revision of computer-based systems, e.g., spreadsheets, Web sites, databases, etc. that require design, planning, and testing (algorithmic thinking and problem solving are required)
• History of computing
• Social impact of computer-based technology and issues involving computing
• Computer programming (at various school levels and at various depths of skill)
• Lifelong learning of computer applications and about computing and computing-related issues
• Other related skills and knowledge (e.g., advanced placement computer science, networking, system/Web administration)

SIGCT activity is member-driven and member-supplied. We have several existing activities that attempt to provide ideas/information to improve pedagogical practice and professional & technical expertise. You may have encountered some of them: sessions and workshops at NECC; the Journal for Computing Teachers; the CS & IT Symposium; and the NCATE standards for secondary computer science teacher preparation programs. We are open to suggestions for additional efforts. Those wishing to assist in current efforts (listed below) or to suggest and assist with new efforts should contact the SIGCT President Joe Kmoch (joe@jkmoch.com) or the person identified below:

• Online journal publication—suggesting articles, reviewing, writing (various kinds of material), assisting in editing activity, etc. Contact John Thompson (thompsjt@buffalostate.edu)
• Submitting NECC sessions involving computing or workshop topic/presenter. 
  • For elementary level contact Carol Amaral-Ly (camarally@wilmingtonfriends.org)
  • For middle grades contact Karen North (knorth@wt.net)
  • For high school contact level contact Scott Horan (shoran@insightbb.com)
  • For post-secondary level contact Jennifer Lamkins (jlamkins@csulb.edu)
  • For workshops contact Jeff Foster (jfoster32@austin.rr.com)
• Assisting with Web design and content. Contact Steve Crampton (SteveSings@gmail.com)
• NCATE reviewer. Contact Philip East (east@cs.uni.edu) or Lajeane Thomas (lthomas@latech.edu)
• Develop new assessments in support of higher order thinking skills (a multi-SIG endeavor). Contact Lucianne Sweder (l-sweder@govst.edu)
• Submitting to Top CS Classroom Practices. Contact Charmaine Bentley (charmainebentley@acm.org)

Would you like to submit to JCT? Please read the Submission Guidelines (PDF, 59KB, PDF Instructions).