Riverdale Charts New Computer Science Future
Starting with the class of 2027, the minimum graduation requirement for computer science has changed from a mini course to an entire semester course. Some may deem this unnecessary; however, the computer science department strives to teach a more extensive and diverse set of students to break down systemic biases within the industry.
For eleven years, the computer science program has slowly developed under the guidance of Mr. Andrew Abate and Mr. Paul Fisher. Their lead has allowed the computer science department to blossom into a welcoming space for teachers and students alike to share their thoughts and ideas for the department. The department seeks to create impactful change in the school and the larger community. For the past eight years, the senior capstone project has allowed seniors to use computer science to combat issues and injustices such as food deserts. “The goal is to have students take what they learned in computer science and then be able to develop a solution to give back to the community,” Mr. Abate says. Changing the minimum graduation requirement for computer science is a more drastic measure aimed at creating a brighter, more inclusive future for the industry. Mr. Abate recognizes that “Computer science, the industry is inherently biased. There is a perception that computer science is only for a few elite people, which is not the case.” He ponders, “How do we break down those barriers but also make sure that students realize there are barriers and that we need help breaking them down.”
Mr. Abate comments that the mindset for teaching is not solely to have kids absorb the material but “teaching the connections you could make through computer science and how students could also find their own connections with computer science.” This forward-thinking approach aims to equip students with the skills to re-work the biased mindset interweaved in computer science. That is why increasing the minimum graduation requirement is essential to furthering the goal of creating inclusion within computer science. By teaching a larger, more diverse group of students, the department is reprogramming the norm by bonding computer-aided learning to ideas of diversity and equity.
Another intent of increasing the graduation requirement was the access for students to foster connections to computer science. One of the struggles students were experiencing from the mini-course was the ability to connect with the given topics. Mr. Jo-Jo Feng, an Upper School computer science teacher who has been at Riverdale for two years, says, “The original requirement of a one-semester pass-fail class only meeting once a week did not give us enough time and consistency to anchor into students, and it was tough for us to feel confident that our students were walking away with technical awareness and computational awareness.”
Students have had varying reactions to the department’s change. In her second year of computer science, tenth grader Matilda Sales says, “I started computer science because I was interested in the various topics and things you could do with it. I think it is smart that the department is expanding to highlight to students the variety computer science offers and to give people an accurate computer science experience. From what I have heard from friends, the mini-course only scratched the surface of computer science and was hard for people to connect with it. However, it is a tough ask for the department to require students to invest time into an entire semester course if they have no interest in it.”
The theme of Sales’s and Ms. Feng's opinions is that by changing the minimum graduation requirement, students will have to do more work, but at the cost of furthering positive change for the future. The required full-semester course exposes students to various computer science skills and sectors. Moreover, students, even those not interested in computer science, will build stronger bonds with the material and develop their connections. The full semester course, now required, equips students with skills that will become practical with our society shifting towards technology and artificial intelligence.
As the technology sector continues to evolve, it is increasingly evident that diversity and inclusivity are not just buzzwords but essential components for innovation and progress. Thus, at the heart of Riverdale’s computer science program are goals to create a more inclusive and unbiased future for the industry. With every small expansion, such as the change from a required mini-course to a full semester course, Riverdale inches closer to a more equitable world where technology serves the needs of all.
Mr. Abate notes, “Hopefully, we are breaking down barriers that are cognisant and a reality in computer science.”
