Several ECEP Alliance members will be presenting at the 2018 SIGCSE (Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education) annual global symposium, Feb. 21-24 in Baltimore, Md. The ECEP Alliance, and the work of the alliance states, will be represented through a number of sessions, panels, workshops, papers, posters, and special sessions during the conference, which has a theme of CS For All.

Below is a roundup of sessions that feature participation from ECEP PIs, co-PIs, staff, evaluators, and ECEP state leaders.

Session: RPPforCS for Community Meeting
Wednesday, Feb. 21, 1-5 p.m.

• Alan Peterfreund, SageFox Consulting Group
• Rebecca Zarch, SageFox Consulting Group
• Leigh Ann Delyser, CSForAll Consortium

Panel: Why Diversity is Important to the Health of the Technology Industry, and What We Can Do to Ensure its Success
Thursday, Feb. 22, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Carol Fletcher, University of Texas at Austin
• Helen Hu, Westminster College
• Thamina Christensen, Oracle Corporation
• Maya Garcia, DC Office of State Superintendent of Education
• Melissa Risteff, Couragion

Session: The value of Community in Professional Development
Thursday, Feb. 22, 1:45 - 3 p.m.

• Tiffany Barnes, North Carolina State University
• James Cohoon, UVA Tapestry
• Joanna Goode, ECS
• Joe Politz, Bootstrap UCSD
• Juan Vargas, Trustee Infosys Foundation USA

Sub-session: A Multi-Institutional Perspective on H/FOSS Projects in the Computing Curriculum
Thursday, Feb. 22, 3:45 - 4:10 p.m.

• Quinn Burke, College of Charleston
• James Bowring, College of Charleston
• Grant Braught, Dickinson College
• Barbara Cutler, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• David Goldschmidt, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• Steven Huss-Lederman, Beloit College
• Mukkai Krishnamoorthy, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• John Maccormick, Dickinson College
• Bonnie Mackellar, St. John’s University
• Allen Tucker, Bowdoin College
• Wesley Turner, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Paper: Incorporating Computational Thinking in the Classrooms of Puerto Rico: How a MOOC served as an outreach and recruitment tool for Computer Science Education
Thursday, Feb. 22, 3:45 - 4:10 p.m.

• Joseph Carroll Miranda, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus
• Patricia Ordóñez, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus
• María López Delgado, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus
• Grace Rodríguez Gómez, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus
• Eliud Gerena López, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Camp

Paper: Helping Underrepresented Students Succeed in AP CSA and Beyond
Thursday, Feb. 22, 4:10 - 4:35 p.m.

• Barbara Ericson, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Tom Mcklin, The Findings Group

Birds of a Feather: CSTA: Connecting Colleges and K-12 CS Teachers
Thursday, Feb. 22, 5:30 - 6:20 p.m.

• Deborah Seehorn, Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA)
• Chinma Uche, Greater Hartford Academy of Mathematics and Science
• Fred Martin, University of Massachusetts Lowell
• David Reed, Creighton University

Birds of a Feather: Examining the Role of Informal Education in K-12 Computing Pathways and CS Education Reform Efforts
Thursday, Feb. 22, 5:30 - 6:20 p.m.

• Sarah Dunton, Expanding Computing Education Pathways (ECEP) Alliance Manager
• Stephanie Rodriguez, Afterschool Alliance

Birds of a Feather: K-12 CS Teacher Certification: What Should New CS Teachers Know and Be Able to Do?
Thursday, Feb. 22, 6:30 - 7:20 p.m.

• David Benedetto, NH Department of Education
• Carol Fletcher, The University of Texas at Austin
• John Owen, The University of Texas at Austin
• Pat Yongpradit, code.org

Paper: Understanding the Software Development Industry’s Perspective on Coding Boot Camps versus Traditional 4-year Colleges
Friday, Feb. 23, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Quinn Burke, College of Charleston
• Cinamon Bailey, College of Charleston
• Emily Green, ETR Associates
• Louise Ann Lyon, ETR Associates

Panel: The Impact of AP Computer Science Principles – Are You Ready to Change Your Undergraduate Courses?
Friday, Feb. 23, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Chinma Uche, Academy of Aerospace and Engineering
• Dale Reed, University of Illinois at Chicago
• Paul Tymann, RIT
• Carol Yarbrough, Alabama School of Fine Arts

Panel: The role of Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships in CS4All: Lessons from the Field
Friday, Feb. 23, 1:45 - 3 p.m.

• Helen Hu, Westminster College
• Dennis Brylow, Marquette University
• Lucia Dettori, DePaul University
• Don Yanek, Chicago Public Schools

Sub-session: Priming the Pump: Reflections on Training K5 Teachers In Computer Science
Friday, Feb. 23, 3:45 - 4:10 p.m.

• Jeff Gray, University of Alabama
• Kiki Prottsman, Code.org
• Michele Roberts, Indiana University Bloomington

SpecialSession: Connecting Evaluation and Computing Education Research: Why is it so Important?
Friday, Feb. 23, 3:45 - 5 p.m.

• Rebecca Zarch, SageFox Consulting Group
• Adrienne Decker, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Monica M McGill, Knox College
• Jason Ravitz, Google
• Eric Snow, SRI International

Special Session: Exploring and Discovering Concepts via POGIL
Friday, Feb. 23, 3:45 - 5 p.m.

• Helen Hu, Westminster College
• Clifton Kussmaul, Muhlenberg College
• Lisa Olivieri, Chestnut Hill College

Session: Revising the ABET Information Technology Program Accreditation Criteria
Friday, Feb. 23, 4:35 - 5 p.m.

• Mihaela Sabin, University of New Hampshire
• Scott Murray, HCA Healthcare
• Rajendra K.Raj, Rochester Institute of Technology

Workshop: Guiding Students to Discover CS Concepts & Develop Process Skills Using POGI
Friday, Feb. 23, 7-10 p.m.

• Helen Hu, Westminster College
• Clifton Kussmaul, Muhlenberg College
• Chris Mayfield, James Madison University

Special Session: Repositories You Shouldn't Be Living Without
Saturday, Feb. 24, 8:45 - 10 a.m.

• Tom McKlin, The Findings Group
• Miles Berry, University of Roehampton
• Adrienne Decker, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Leigh Ann Delyser, CSforAll Consortium
• Kathy Haynie, Haynie Research and Evaluation
• Monica M McGill, Knox College
• Beth Quinn, NCWIT

Panel: Computing MarylandEducation Expansion: From Grassroots to the MCCE
Saturday, Feb. 24, 8:45 - 10 a.m.

• Marie desJardins, University of Maryland
• Dianne O'Grady-Cunniff, Charles County Public Schools
• Jan Plane, University of Maryland
• Rebecca Zarch, SageFox Consulting Group
• Scott Nichols, Maryland State Department of Education
• Pat Yongpradit, Code.org

Poster: Growing the High School CS Teacher Workforce: Predictors of Success in Achieving CS Certification
Saturday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Carol Fletcher, University of Texas at Austin
• Lisa Garbrecht, University of Texas at Austin
• Wesley Monroe, University of Texas at Austin
• Jayce Warner, University of Texas at Austin

Poster: The Role of Gestures in Learning Computer Science
Saturday, Feb. 24, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Mark Guzdial, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Sarah Li, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Vedant Pradeep, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Amber Solomon, Georgia Institute of Technology

Sub-session: Using Music to Engage Students in an Introductory Undergraduate Programming Course for Non-Majors
Saturday, Feb. 24, 10:45 - 11:10 a.m.

• Tom McKlin, The Findings Group
• Jason Freeman, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Tacksoo Im, Georgia Gwinnett College
• Brian Magerko, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Sebastien Siva, Georgia Gwinnett College

Panel: CS4NC Summit 2017: Lessons Learned in Developing a Coordinated Statewide CS For All Initiative
Saturday, Feb. 24, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Dave Frye, The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation
• Mary Lou Maher, UNC Charlotte
• Deborah Seehorn, Computer Science Teachers Association
• Sam Morris, The Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

Special Session: IT2017 Report: Implementing A Competency-Based Information Technology Program
Saturday, Feb. 24, 10:45 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Mihaela Sabin, University of New Hampshire
• Hala Alrumaih, Al Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Saudi Arabia
• John Impagliazzo, Hofstra University
• Cara Tang, Portland Community College
• Ming Zhang, Peking University, China

Sub-session: Authenticity and Personal Creativity: How EarSketch Affects Student Persistence
Saturday, Feb. 24, 11:35 a.m. - 12 p.m.

• Tom McKlin, The Findings Group
• Doug Edwards, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Jason Freeman, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Taneisha Lee, The Findings Group
• Brian Magerko, Georgia Institute of Technology
• Dana Wanzer, The Findings Group

Workshop: Understanding the Essence of Successful Computing Education Projects through Analyzing NSF Proposals
Saturday, Feb. 24, 3-6 p.m.

• Eileen T. Kraemer, Clemson University
• Stephanie E. August, National Science Foundation
• S. Megan Che, Clemson University
• Mark Pauley, National Science Foundation
• Murali Sitaraman, Clemson University

The annual four-day conference addresses challenges common among educators and features demos, lightning talks, papers, panels, posters, special sessions, and workshops. Informal opportunities for networking and ‘birds of a feather’ sessions allow for further discussions of computer science education. The event provides a forum for sharing new ideas for syllabi, laboratories, and other elements of teaching and pedagogy, at all levels of instruction. The SIGCSE 2018 agenda can be found on their website https://sigcse2018.sigcse.org/agenda.html.

The Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance (ECEP) aims to broaden participation in computing education by working with leaders at the state level. The alliance includes 17 states and U.S. territories in a community that shares its practice and progress on making state-level systemic change that will result in more and more diverse students in the pathway to computing and computing-intensive degrees. ECEP also offers resources such as mini-grants, workshops, models for organizations, reports, and evaluation to its members.

The ECEP Alliance includes 16 states – Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Nevada, North Carolina, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia – and Puerto Rico. More information can be found at https://ecepalliance.org.