ARCS
Advancing Rural Computer Science (ARCS)
Why Have Teachers Joined ARCS?
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To become familiar with the Virginia Computer Science Standards for K-5 and learn to integrate them into core content lessons
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To receive a Chromebook and stipends up to $1,150
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To receive classroom resources such as Sphero Indi Class Packs, Sphero Bolts, Bee-Bots Bundle, and Sphero littleBits
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To enhance their knowledge base and confidence to teach with CS
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To earn digital badges, and re-certification points by completing asynchronous online Microcredentials
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To build a school-based community through CodeVA's synchronous K-5 Coaches Academy training
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To receive support from experts throughout the course of the project
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To learn strategies and activities that can be used immediately in classrooms
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To network and share lessons with teachers from across Virginia
ARCS cohort members come from across the Commonwealth.
About the Project
Advancing Rural Computer Science (ARCS) aims to serve 18,000 K-5 students and 440 K-5 teachers over 5 years. Our focus is on serving students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM and computer science education including students in rural communities, minorities, and students from economically disadvantaged families.
ARCS has 4 goals:
- Train teachers and help them acquire computer science microcredentials. These teachers will be well positioned to work with others at their school, and build capacity for K-5 computer science instruction.
- Develop instructional materials that integrate computer science curriculum standards into core elementary subject areas including reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies.
- Increase student readiness for STEM and computer science coursework in higher grade levels.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the project as a model for other computer science education initiatives.
The Center for Educational Partnerships at Old Dominion University has served as the lead agency for the proposed project, with collaborators from the Virginia Department of Education and CodeVA contributing to project activities, and the University of Virginia conducting the external evaluation.
The project is funded by the United States Department of Education under Early-phase: Absolute Priority 3 -Field Initiated Innovations - Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
Recruitment
Old Dominion University, CodeVA and the Virginia Department of Education are partnering on the Advancing Rural Computer Science (ARCS) project to provide professional development to support the integration of Computer Science SOLs into the K-5 core curriculum.
The ARCS project is currently in its fifth year. Recruitment activities began for our pilot cohort in 2020, for our first cohort in 2021, and for our second cohort in the summer of 2023. Schools created teams consisting of 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade classroom teachers and/or specialists (librarian, ITRT, STEM teacher) who served an entire grade of students. All students in the targeted grade level (3rd, 4th, or 5th) are assessed at the beginning and the end of the school year. K-2 teachers and administrators were welcome to participate with the grade level team as well.
Benefits of participation include:
- Fun and engaging training for two summers
- School year support through an online professional learning community
- Stipend of up to $1,150
- Eligibility for recertification points
- Computer Science microcredentials offered at no cost through Old Dominion University
- Access to FREE online instructional resources
This opportunity is being provided through United States Department of Education grant award #U411C190032.
Cohort 2023
Cohort 2023 consisted of one immediate start group and one delayed start group. The immediate group began the program in the summer of 2023 with CodeVA's Coaches Academy training and is currently ongoing. The delayed group will start their program in the summer of 2024.
If you are in the 2023 cohort and have questions about the training, stipends, or the pre- and post training surveys, email us at tcep@odu.edu.
Cohort 2021
Cohort 2021 consisted of one immediate start group and one delayed start group. The immediate group began the program in the summer of 2021. The delayed group started their program the following year. Both groups have through CodeVA's Coaches Academy summer training. The immediate start group is currently working to finish up their asynchronous online Microcredentials while the delayed start group began their Microcredentials coursework during the summer of 2023.
If you are in the 2021 cohort and have questions about the Microcredentials stack or stipends, email us tcep@odu.edu.
Cohort 2020
The 2020 pilot cohort wrapped up their two year project participation in the summer of 2022 by completing their asynchronous online Microcredentials earning, their digital badges and recertification points.
Resources for Teachers
One of the goals of the ARCS project is to improve the quantity and quality of computer science instructional resources available to teachers in Virginia. Resources produced by ARCS have been aligned with the Virginia Computer Science Standards of Learning and made freely available via the #GoOpenVA online database. The project has also developed a series of high-quality microcredentials that teachers may complete through the Old Dominion University School of Continuing Education.
Click to learn more about the theory behind ARCS' model for Engaging All Learners.
ARCS Newsletters are electronically published and distributed monthly with updates and resources for teachers. You can find the archive of past newsletters here.
Our Team
The ARCS team is a diverse, multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional group with expertise in computer science, teacher professional development, curriculum design, STEM education, educational research, and program evaluation. The team consists of members from The Center for Educational Partnerships and School of Continuing Education at Old Dominion University, at Code Virginia, in the Virginia Department of Education's Office of STEM Innovation, and at the University of Virginia. To learn more about our team, click here.
ARCS Research and Evaluation
ARCS External Evaluation Year 2 Report-Maeng et al. 11-2021
ARCS External Evlauation Year 3 Report-Maeng et al. 11-2022
ARCS External Evaluation Year 4 Report-Maeng et al. 11-2023
