Ali Partovi, Co-Founder of Code.org, presentation at Piedmont Education Speaker Series on Preparing Students for the Age of Technology - September 30, 2014

1. Computer Science:
the missing foundation
in America’s schools
Ali Partovi
Co-founder, Code.org

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY7EsTnUSxY

3. Our kids should be learning
to code.

4. Our kids should be learning
to code. computer science.

5. Computer science education
is on the rise.

6. Computer science education
is on the rise. recovery from
a 10-year decline.

7. 1,200,000
1,000,000
800,000
600,000
400,000
200,000
0
History English Science Math Foreign
Languages
Economics Art + Music Computer
Science
Sources: College Board
Only 15% of
this are girls.
8% are
African
Americans +
Hispanics.
High School AP Enrollment

8. Computer science is about
technology.

9. Computer science is about
technology.
logic, problem solving, and
creativity.

10. First computer: 1943

11. First computer: 1943
First computer program: 1843
Ada
Lovelace

12. Computer science is for
boys.

13. Computer science is for
boys. everybody.

14. The tech industry is
desperately trying to hire
computer programmers.

15. Every
The tech industry is
desperately trying to hire
computer programmers.

16. 67% of software jobs are outside the
tech industry. More broadly, Computer
Science is relevant to all careers.
“… as important as knowledge of
anatomy when it comes to medical
research or clinical care.”
Larry Corey,
Fred Hutchinson
Cancer Research Center

17. Computer science is
vocational.

18. Computer science is
vocational. foundational.

19. Audience pop quiz
What is photosynthesis?

20. Audience pop quiz
What is H2O?

21. Audience pop quiz
Solve: x2 – 9 = 0

22. Audience pop quiz
What is a for loop?

23. Dispelling myths about STEM

24. Dispelling myths about STEM
(“Science, Technology,
Engineering, and Math”)

25. There’s a surplus of jobs in
STEM.

26. There’s a surplus of jobs in
STEM. computer science.

27. Computer
Science: 2%
of STEM
students
STUDENTS
Computer
Science:
60% of
STEM jobs
JOBS
Sources: College Board, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Science Foundation

28. There are not enough girls in
STEM.

29. There are not enough girls in
STEM. computer science.

30. Computer science counts as
STEM.

31. Computer science counts as
STEM in 9 states only. (2012)

32. Computer science counts as
STEM in 9 states only. (2012)
24 states today.

33. Code.org efforts
1. Changing the rules.
- 15 state victories. 1 defeat.
2. Helping the schools.
- Free K-8 curriculum, in 40,000 classrooms this fall
- Partnerships with 30 districts (incl NYC, LA, Chi)
- Free teacher-training workshops nationwide
3. Making it cool.

37. It’s coming. December 8.
Help us reach 100 million.
@codeorg #hourofcode