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William & Ida Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

Computer Science Professional Development

The Friday Institute partners with educational leaders and policy makers from the school to national level. We build educator capacity to create opportunities for ALL in North Carolina to explore computer science.

Personalized school and district computer science professional development sessions can be created just for you! Please contact us to learn of the many ways we can support you and your computer science needs.

NC Computer Science
Professional Development
for Grades 6-12

Register for Code.org training programs thanks to a grant from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction to expand the Friday Institute’s ability to offer its professional learning programs to NC public school educators teaching middle and high school students.

Learn more and register

Comprehensive
Computer Science

The Comprehensive Computer Science (CS) Education Program is a statewide initiative led by the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI).

Apply to join a Grade-Band PLC or sign up for our Elementary Integration Series

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Students work on robotics

News

Cover of Building Educator Capacity in K-12 Teaching and Learning to Broaden Participation in Computer Science Education

Advancing Access, Participation and Innovation in CS Education across NC

CEP Co-Sponsorship Briefs from the Friday Institute of Educational Innovation at NCSU

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A group of educators sit around a table talking

Computer Science for North Carolina Convening Provides Guidance, Gathers Key Stakeholders for Implementing Computer Science Across the State

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A man with short brown hair and blazer holds up a certificate in from of a Code.org step and repeat background

Code.org Recognizes Friday Institute During CSEdCon for Most New Code.org Teachers Trained

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A man smiles within a crowd of people sitting at tables in front of laptops

More About CS Education at the Friday Institute

Conferences, workshops, research and more.

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Computer science opens more doors for students than any other discipline in today’s world. Learning even the basics will help students in virtually any career — from architecture to zoology.

Just as we teach students how to dissect a frog or how electricity works, every 21st-century student needs to have a chance to design an app or an algorithm or learn how the Internet works.

Read the Current Perspectives and Continuing Challenges in Computer Science Education in U.S. K-12 Schools Report.

The Demand for CS Education

  • A 2020 Gallup study found that 69% of all parents and guardians believe that computer science is important for their child to learn, but only 40% of students feel it’s important
  • 58% of superintendents across the country feel CS curriculum is a top priority for their district, but 28% of principals and 18% of teachers agree

Career Opportunities

In North Carolina, there are currently over 22,000 open computing jobs, but only:

61%

of schools in NC offer a computer science class

6,275

students in NC took the AP exam in the 2020-21 school year

2,332

students graduated with a computer science degree in NC in 2019

Teacher Testimonials

Headshot of Patrice Wade, a woman with short black and red hair wearing a silver necklace and black top

Unlocking Potential Through Code.org: A Journey of Empowerment with Patrice Wade

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Headshot of JP Simafranca, a man with short dark brown hair wearing a dark green shirt with a collar

Fostering Inclusivity and Passion for Computer Science: Spotlight on JP Simafranca

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Image of teacher Linda Robinson, a woman with short blonde hair with glasses on her head

Bridging Language Gaps and Enhancing Learning Through Computer Science Education

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Contact Us

Email

Russell Dirgo
rstrand@ncsu.edu

Partners We Have Proudly Worked With