Resources
AZHACS - Arizona Hubs Advancing Computer Science
Rural communities and educators working together to build skills and knowledge in Computer Science and Computational Thinking
AZHACS is an initiative of the NSF-funded AZ K-8 Consortium (Award #2031527).
The intent of the Consortium is to be part of the Arizona STEM Ecosystem for K-8 educators to discuss any topic, gain access to resources, engage in professional development, and foster a Practitioner Learning Community or Working Group to share best practices. The Consortium is starting with Computer Science (CS), as the initiative is funded by NSF CS for All.
Researcher Practitioner Partnerships
Our rural RPPs are dedicated to providing all students with the opportunity to participate in computer science (CS) and computational thinking (CT) and ensuring that preK-8 teachers have the instructional materials and preparation they need to integrate CS and CT into their teaching.
OUR Mission
In November 2020 the National Science Foundation (NSF) approved the Arizona Computer Science for All proposal. This proposal is designed around two pillars:
1. A study to understand the use of computer science and computational thinking in the classroom
2. Develop Research-Practitioner Partnerships to tackle issues to high-quality CS/CT education.
OUR Vision
In the Spring of 2021 AZ HACS is looking for local innovative thinkers, change makers, and collaborators to create RPP teams that will work to better the education culture by bringing in reliable tools to help teachers succeed.
Your Voice
AZ HACS is looking for local collaborators to create RPPs – a blend of community members, educators, and researchers working together to identify issues, gather reliable data, and make informed decisions.
Results and Outcomes
In March 2021, the AZHACS team conducted a survey of over 200 K-8 educators and school administrators regarding computer science education in their schools. The objectives of the survey were to:
- Assess educators’ beliefs regarding the value they place on integrating computer science into K-8 classrooms.
- Determine readiness by evaluating the degree to which educators believe their school or district possesses essential ingredients needed to successfully implement and/or advance computer science (e.g., hardware, supportive leadership)
- Gauge self-reported implementation by assessing the extent to which educators believe their institution is currently implementing Arizona’s Computer Science Standards
AZHACS Resource Center
Over the course of the project, the AZHACS team and collaborating partners have compiled a collection of resources for computer science education.
In the Media
Project Timeline
STEM Without Barriers: Building Opportunity in Bisbee
Why STEM Education Is Arizona’s Most Important Economic Strategy
From STEM Celebration to Career Exploration: 15 Years of the Arizona SciTech Festival
Overview Slides
AZ HACS
Join your local Research/Practioner Partnership (RPP) Don’t just talk about change – do something to make it happen!