Wyoming K-12 Computer Science Standards

Build teacher confidence and capacity with computer science curriculum from Ellipsis Education. Our K-12 courses have everything you need to get students going: detailed lesson plans (beyond just coding), pacing guides, standards maps, and ongoing support. That way, you can focus on what you do best – teaching.

Wyoming Computer Science Standards

The Wyoming Department of Education and the Wyoming State Board of Education worked together to craft the Wyoming Computer Science Content & Performance Standards. The Wyoming state standards for computer science are organized into domains, and each grade band has specific learning objectives associated with each. The concepts and subconcepts are:

1. Computing Systems

2. Network and the Internet

3. Data and Analysis

4. Algorithms and Programming

5. Impacts of Computing

In the Wyoming standards, the content standards provide the specific knowledge and skills a student should learn and know by the end of each grade level band. The Wyoming state standards grade bands are K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.

If you look at the Wyoming technology standards document, you’ll notice that each content standard includes levels of proficiency.  These levels are advanced, proficient, basic, and below basic. For each level, there are descriptions of what students within each level are expected to know and be able to do. As an example, the image below shows a K-2 standard with the proficiency levels and descriptions.

Some of these content standards are given a special designation called performance standards. Performance standards show how a student’s level of mastery is measured within a specific content area. Students should be given multiple opportunities to be assessed on the performance standards, as these standards are considered essential for proficiency. Additionally, teachers should give extra focus and support when teaching these standards. If a content standard is considered a performance standard, it is highlighted in blue and marked with an asterisk (*) on the standards document.

Some standards on the document include some helpful visuals when looking at each grade band. Any standard that requires hardware and/or software are accompanied by an icon of a plug. This visual shown below may help teachers quickly identify if technology is needed to teach the standard.

What Is Computer Science Education

The importance of computer science in education is clear as technology continues to advance. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 11% from 2019 to 2029. Given this, shouldn’t we equip our students with these skills starting at a young age?

Currently, computer science programs are serving students as young as kindergarten all the way to high school. Most of these courses consist of a coding component, where students learn programming skills. The basic building blocks of coding such as loops, functions, and conditionals can be taught in elementary school and applied to more complex languages as students progress in their K-12 journey. As students attempt more advanced projects, such as developing websites, programs, and games, they are motivated to connect with their world and empowered to expand their skills. The subject of computer science is so important that it is apart from the Wyoming science standards.

Computer science education is not only about coding. K 12 computer science also focuses on developing 21st century skills, such as the 4 C’s (communication, collaboration, computational thinking, and creativity). A strong foundation in these computer science skills will serve them well for years to come, regardless of the path they decide to pursue. The WDE computer science standards are designed to encourage multidisciplinary learning. For example, computer science standards can be integrated into other core subject areas, like Wyoming math standards, Wyoming ELA standards, Wyoming social studies standards, or even national music standards!

ISTE Standards

There are other national K12 computer science standards, such as ISTE standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and Common Core state standards. Here, we will highlight the ISTE standards. When Wyoming pulled away from the common core math standards, a new set of math standards were published. These Wyoming state math standards put emphasis on cross-curricular connections, including computer science and ISTE. The Wyoming Common Core standards did not define cross-curricular instruction.

The ISTE computer science standards are a framework for computer science education developed by the International Society for Technology in Education that are researched and updated continuously. The ISTE standards are designed to promote learning, teaching, and leading in K-12 classrooms across the globe. The standards have been adopted or adapted in all 50 U.S. states and multiple countries, and the standards are provided in 9 other languages. ISTE includes standards for educators, education leaders, and coaches, but the ISTE standards for students are the most widely used. All Ellipsis Education courses have been awarded the ISTE Seal of Alignment. This seal means our curriculum provides a high-quality, standards-aligned learning experience that enhances students’ digital age skills.

There are 7 areas of the ISTE student standards that recur in grades K-12.

1. Empowered Learner – Students leverage technology to take an active role in choosing, achieving and demonstrating competency in their learning goals, informed by the learning sciences.
2. Digital Citizen – Students recognize the rights, responsibilities and opportunities of living, learning and working in an interconnected digital world, and they act and model in ways that are safe, legal and ethical.
3. Knowledge Constructor – Students critically curate a variety of resources using digital tools to construct knowledge, produce creative artifacts and make meaningful learning experiences for themselves and others.
4. Innovative Designer – Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.
5. Computational Thinker – Students develop and employ strategies for understanding and solving problems in ways that leverage the power of technological methods to develop and test solutions.
6. Creative Communicator – Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.
7. Global Collaborator – Students use digital tools to broaden their perspectives and enrich their learning by collaborating with others and working effectively in teams locally and globally.

Let’s look at a few examples of ISTE standards for students. When teaching the area “Creative Communicator” in the classroom, an educator might provide an opportunity to present their ideas by using platforms such as PowerPoint or Google Slides. Another example of teaching creative communication in the classroom could be with a free lesson plan about idea generation.

For ISTE computational thinking, students could become engaged with handling data digitally and physically.  For example, learners could conduct surveys, observe the collected data on graphs or spreadsheets, and analyze their findings.

When teaching the ISTE digital citizenship standards in the classroom, an educator might provide an opportunity to safely explore the digital world through interactive tools such as Google Classroom  or Seesaw. Another example of teaching digital citizenship in the classroom could be with a free lesson plan about media literacy. For more ISTE standards for students lesson plans, explore more Ellipsis Education computer science lesson plans.

Computer Science Degree

After being introduced to computer science curriculum in K-12, students may be inspired to continue their computer science education. On a professional level, companies are recruiting for computer science degree jobs in cloud computing, app development, and statistical analysis. On an individual level, computational thinking, problem solving, and relationship building are all deeply influenced by computer science. This understanding of computer science jobs leads to much broader applications. you don’t necessarily need a degree in computer science; anyone that uses technology to solve problems can be considered a computer scientist!

Introducing computer science in the K-12 experience opens doors for students to pursue a computer science degree in college. The top computer science colleges in Wyoming, including the University of Wyoming and Laramie County Community College, offer concentrations in various areas of computer science, like computer information systems, information technology, computer software and applications, and computer systems networking. The reality is, though, students do not need to attend a top university to pursue these computer science majors. Even non-STEM majors, like business, biology, and English use computer science skills to communicate ideas.

Likewise, computer science skills taught in K-12 can be applied directly to any career students pursue after high school. Computational thinking, problem solving, and teamwork can be applied in trades (like electrician, plumber, and HVAC) and other positions (like retail, restaurants, and reception).

Perhaps some students may be interested in teaching computer science and will pursue that path in college.  That’s why the Wyoming Science Teachers Association offers a Wyoming computer science endorsement for undergraduate students studying education.