New York Times: How A State Plans To Turn Coal Country Into Coding Country

A New York Times article on the requirement by Wyoming for its K-12 public schools to offer computer science lessons, such as coding, features COE’s David Weintrop.

Although many states have expanded computer science offerings in recent years, most students nationwide still never get the opportunity to take a coding course. Intended to move Wyoming away from its heavy oil, gas and coal reliance, the state became among the few to require computer science education in K-12 public schools and has until the 2022-23 school year to offer lessons at every grade level.

“I’m comfortable with the economic argument happening because a side effect of that is tens of thousands of fifth graders learning programming who otherwise wouldn’t have had that opportunity,” Dr. Weintrop is quoted in the article.

Dr. Weintrop is an assistant professor in the Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership. His research focuses on computational thinking, literacy, education and methodology.