Learning List has reviewed CS Matters in Maryland. This comprehensive open educational resource (OER) supports instruction in Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles courses. Content is available online and includes printable teacher resources. Instruction is inquiry based and focuses on the theme of data. Students learn about internet data; processes for managing, analyzing, and interpreting data; and the use of data to solve real world problems. Resources are available at no cost at: www.csmatters.org.
CS Matters begins with an optional introductory unit (i.e., Unit 0) that provides a preview of the course’s content, how technology is evolving, and introduces the concept of computer intelligence and the role of algorithms. Core content is organized in six units: (1) Your Virtual World, (2) Developing Programming Tools, (3) Information and the Internet, (4) Data Acquisition, (5) Data Manipulation, and (6) Data Visualization.
The course uses the Python programming language; Python 3.4 and PyCharm Community Edition IDE software may be installed at no cost. A student text is not provided. CS Matters student materials are curated from a variety of free online resources (e.g., How to Think Like a Computer Scientist). Annual summer workshops for supporting the use of CS Matters in AP classrooms are held at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
About CS Matters*
CS Matters in Maryland is part of the CS for All Consortium, a network of nonprofit leaders, government supporters, expert practitioners, companies, and advocates who regularly contribute their guidance, resources and tools to promote the success of the Computer Science (CS) education movement.
Additionally, CS Matters is a member of the Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance, which seeks to increase the number and diversity of students in the pipeline to computing and computing-intensive degrees by supporting state-level computing education reforms.
CS Matters is committed to providing equitable access to computer science education for all students in Maryland.
*Information in this section is provided by or adapted from CS Matters.
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