Supporting Computer Science Education Across Europe

At Google, we’re committed to making sure Europeans have the right digital skills, pledging to train up to one million Europeans by the end of 2016. Since 2009, Google’s Computer Science for High School (CS4HS) programmes have supported over 20,000 teachers in their efforts to gain confidence in their understanding of computer science (CS) and learn valuable skills for teaching CS to students across the globe. And starting today, applications are now being accepted for the 2016 CS4HS Awards. That is why we are encouraging colleges, universities, and educational non profits from countries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa to apply for an award of up to €15,000. Computer Science is at the heart of the digital economy in Europe. It is a discipline with a core set of scientific principles that can be applied to solve complex, real-world problems. In today's computing-imbued world, coding is the 'quill' of the 21st century, and knowledge of computer science is essential for the youth of Europe - not just for their future careers, but also to enable them to be active citizens in the digital world. Despite a growing interest in computer science among young Europeans, recent research by Gallup (commissioned by Google) reveals that work still needs to be done when it comes to supporting teachers in their efforts to understand the critical principles of computer science. In 2016, we are looking to fund applications that include strong plans for the establishment of new or existing communities of practice (COPs). These communities bring teachers together to encourage and support each other in their learning and ongoing professional development. This focus is grounded in a wide body of research (for example Joyce & Showers, 2002; and Wiske, Stone, & Levinson, 1993 ) demonstrating that COPs are a critical element for producing and sustaining innovation in the classroom. Criteria vary from region to region so please visit the CS4HS website to learn more about the eligibility requirements and to get started on your application. Applications will remain open until midnight (GMT), 15th February, 2016. Join the CS4HS Google+ community to connect with past CS4HS organizers and learn about HangOuts on Air we’ll be hosting during the application process. We hope 2016 will provide many opportunities for Google to partner with the CS education community, and to grow and strengthen the CS teacher community around the globe. We hope you’ll be a part of it, and look forward to reviewing your application.    Posted by: Claire Conneely, CS4HS Program Manager, EMEA