There are many factors to consider within teacher professional development (PD) including the design, delivery, and participant experience. Effective PD should support teacher growth across all five CSTA Standards for Computer Science Teachers. PD providers should aspire to design inclusive and meaningful PD and to model quality instruction and differentiation practices, in a way that supports teachers to replicate best practices in their own classrooms. We have designed the following guidance and resources to support you.
Create Quality PD
Learn
Learn about evidence-based principles of effective professional development program design.
View the biannual landscape report to learn about who teaches K-12 CS education in the U.S. and what they need to promote equity.
Connect
Join a community of practice specifically focused on K-12 CS professional development providers, with quarterly summits.
Share information and resources with CS teachers, present to CSTA chapters, and connect with CSTA members.
Align
Align your programs to the Standards for CS Teachers, which focus on teacher professional growth, content knowledge and skills, equity and inclusion, instructional design, and classroom practice.
Self-assess for alignment to the CS teacher standards and principles of effective PD.
Share PD with Teachers
An independent CSTA committee of experts maintains an interactive listing of PD programs that meet indicators of quality.
Learn about the PD accreditation process and the evaluation rubric.
Submit your own PD program for accreditation.
Increase Equity
Reflect on how your existing PD programs align with tenets of identity-inclusive computing.
Ensure programs are accessible to teachers with disabilities.
Model inclusive teaching pedagogies, such as culturally responsive teaching, translanguaging, and universal design for learning (UDL).
CSTA membership is not just for teachers. We welcome curriculum and PD providers, too!
