This post was written by Alaisa Glicco for the UF Government & Community Relations newsletter:
At just over a year old, the CS Everyone Center for Computer Science Education is one of the University of Florida’s newest. Despite its recent inception, substantial projects and accomplishments demonstrate the innovation and tenacity of an efficient and engaged team.
Maya Israel, Ph.D., leads CS Everyone’s concerted effort to prepare all K-12 students for a world powered by computing. Pivotal partnerships with school districts, non-profits, technology companies, and other community organizations have formed a strong framework for change. Last month, Israel spoke to Gainesville community members and business leaders about the center’s operation and goals at UF’s Eye Opener Discovery Breakfast.
During her presentation, Israel emphasized that CS Everyone is committed to investing in all learners, including those with disabilities, to develop a well-informed citizenry capable of navigating a technology-rich world. Teacher preparation and development, research and innovation, and policy and capacity building are all vital components of the center’s mission.
“We must invest in teachers to ensure our students have the best outcomes,” Israel explained. “We have developed multiple on-ramps to enhance CS and AI education for students and educators – because, in the age of AI, this kind of education is not just helpful. It is foundational.”
These on-ramps include the integration of CS and AI into other education courses, including the UF Teach undergraduate minor, several microcredential and certificate programs, and online master’s and doctoral programs offered through the College of Education.
Israel shared how the center leverages an array of partnerships in its outreach efforts. Locally, CS Everyone coordinates with Florida school districts to support CS and AI education initiatives and celebrate CS education week at UF. The team has facilitated Camp DIALOGS, two-week summer camps that guide middle school students through designing and developing spoken conversational apps to learn about AI. The center also participates in STEM/STEAM nights in local schools.
An annual K-12 CS education summit for Florida educators highlights some of the efforts of Israel’s team statewide. Funding from Google since 2023 has allowed the CS Everyone team to design and facilitate a professional development program implemented through school districts nationwide. Broward County Public Schools and Chicago Public Schools engaged in these programs last year, culminating in celebratory family showcases.
With a foundational investment from Griffin Catalyst and additional support from the NSF, Google, and others, CS Everyone is working to scale CS and AI teacher preparation and professional development, make instructional materials available more broadly, provide technology lending libraries, and facilitate community events. They are currently leading a multidisciplinary task force to develop guidelines for AI in Florida’s K-12 schools.
