Standards

New Jersey's Technology Standards consist of 8.1 Computer Science and 8.2 Design Thinking work together to prepare students to succeed in today's knowledge-based economy by providing equitable and expanded access to high quality, standards-based computer science and technological design education. 

"Advances in technology have drastically changed the way we interact with the world and each other. The digital age requires that we understand and are able to harness the power of technology to live and learn". - International Society for Technology in Education

In this ever-changing digital world where citizenship is being re-imagined, our students must be able to harness the power of technology to live, solve problems, and learn in college, on the job and throughout their lives. Enabled with digital and civic citizenship skills, students are empowered to be responsible members of today's diverse global society.

Readiness in this century demands that students actively engage in critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity. Technology empowers students with real-world data, tools, experts and global outreach to actively engage in solving meaningful problems in all areas of their lives.  The power of technology discretely supports all curricular areas and multiple levels of mastery for all students.

"A major consequence of accelerating technological change is a difference in levels of technological ability and understanding. The workforce of the future must have the ability to use, manage, and understand technology." – International Technology and Engineering Educators Association

The design process builds in our students the recognition that success is not merely identifying a problem but working though a process and that failure is not an end but rather a point for reevaluation. Whether applied as a skill in product development, in the learning environment, in daily life, in a local or more global arena, the design process supports students in their paths to becoming responsible, effective citizens in college, careers and life.

Computational thinking provides an organizational means of approaching life and its tasks. It develops an understanding of technologies and their operations and provides students with the abilities to build and create knowledge and new technologies. Not all students will be programmers, but they should have an understanding of how computational thinking can build knowledge and control technology.

 

Computer Science and Design Thinking is integrated throughout our district's curriculum in all subject areas. Additionally, students in grades 1-6 participate in a special area course, Innovations and Design, that explicitly exposes students to computer science and design thinking through blended learning experiences routed in project based, hands-on learning routed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.