In the Fall of 2023, the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and the LASTEM’s Region II, Capital Area STEM Network Center (CASN) developed The Ignite Project, a 40 hour professional learning opportunity for elementary teachers.
In collaboration with the Louisiana State University’s Gordon A. Cain Center for STEM Literacy (Cain Center), a “train the trainer” workshop model was utilized to increase elementary teachers' knowledge and skills in computer science foundational concepts, in particular, block programming, cybersafety, familiarity with hardware and software, and an introductory comprehension of computational thinking.
From November 2023 to June 2024, over 751 teacher participants from 42 parishes and 50 districts across Louisiana developed their understanding of how to use CS in the elementary classroom. We are proud of all those who successfully completed the project, and look forward to seeing how they incorporate CS in their classrooms this year!
