K-8 Representative
Abigail Joseph
MS Director of Learning, Innovation, and Design
The Harker School, San Jose, California
Why do you want to serve on the CSTA Board and what do you hope to accomplish as a member of the Board? How does this align with current CSTA activities?
Over the past two years as a CSTA Appointed Board member, I have experienced firsthand the influence that the Board has to impact CS education by helping to create and implement policies for the CSTA organization. As a continuing Board member, I would like to continue to look at how to most effectively bring the new CSTA Teacher Standards into the fold of existing programming and professional development for CS educators. I would like to look at how CSTA can expand its services to have an impact on growing the CS teacher population through professional development for pre-service and early-career educators.
What leadership experiences and skills can you contribute to CSTA and its Board?
As an educator of 20 years, I have served on various school diversity committees to create policies and programs to promote diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging. I also develop professional development for teachers to expand their thinking about their locus of education change. Outside of my school community, I sit on the CSTA Board, Co-chair the CSTA PD Committee, and am a part of the inaugural cohort of CSTA Equity Fellows. I serve on the Board of a local community makerspace, Maker Nexus, helping to broaden access and participation in the maker community. I am working with San Jose State University to design a CS Authorization program aligned with social justice and liberatory practices to attract a range of educators to become CS educators.
What previous experience do you have with CSTA?
I was one of the founding members of the CSTA San Mateo County chapter and was in regular attendance at those chapter meetings sharing my knowledge, curriculum, and CS activities I participate in. Additionally, I attend meetings and have presented at the CSTA Silicon Valley chapter. I am a member of the inaugural cohort of CSTA Equity Fellows and have attended and presented at CSTA conferences, summits, and other events over the past couple of years. I currently sit on the CSTA Board of Directors and Co-Chair the CSTA PD Committee. I support CS teacher programming and practice through collaborative projects with higher-ed, researchers, and organizations (CSforCA and The Kapor Center) supporting the CSTA mission.
What experiences and perspectives do you bring to supporting equitable participation in computing education?
As a black woman computer scientist, equitable participation in computing has been my livelihood and the lens through which I entered education. I am invested in building inclusive tech communities and allowing for diverse perspectives to be welcomed in tech fields. Technology is the currency of the future and all students must have access to CS education to engage and compete in our society. Access starts with education and increasing the number of CS teachers in the K-12 grade levels is one place to get started. Through my CSTA Equity Fellow work, I have been developing and championing programs that demystify CS for educators and help them to engage with why CS education is important to their students and highlighting the small steps they can take to bring CS into their classroom today.