About the Fellows
The Constellations Fellows are experienced educators and innovators in computing. They have a passion for teaching and developing ground-breaking curricula. Working day in and day out in low-resource schools, the Fellows coach teachers and build teaching efficacy as they conduct classroom-based professional development. Collaboratively, they help to continue the cycle of learning for years to come. The Fellows are the heartbeat of Constellations and continuously light the pathway for all students to gain access to computing.
What They Do
The teacher shortage in the United States is severe, and there are even fewer teachers who are qualified to teach computer science. This shortage of qualified educators leads to fewer students being exposed to computer science education at any point during their formative years. This leaves students unprepared to enter an ever-changing, technology-focused workforce. Constellations seeks to help both of these issues with our hybrid instructional model.
To build the hybrid instructional model, the Center will first leverage the expertise of the Fellows as they teach computer science in local schools and coach teachers and prepare them to teach computer science.
This type of collaboration allows teachers the opportunity to be supported over the course of a school year versus a few days of professional development during the summer. At the same time, students are being exposed to rigorous computer science material, making them more prepared for secondary education or to enter the workforce.
Lessons learned from this field experience will be implemented in the development of a sequence of online advanced computing courses to include, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Computer Science A, and Georgia Tech's Introduction to Computing Using Python. On-demand resources for teachers will accompany these courses to assist with the facilitation in classrooms. Additionally, the Fellows will provide personalized support for teachers to continue building their knowledge and skills in teaching computer science.
The Fellows’ experiences in classrooms are foundational to creating a revolutionary learning experience for students and teachers that is also affordable for schools regardless of their resource level. Our vision includes equitable access to these courses and resources in schools across the United States.
Think you have what it takes to be a Constellations Fellow? Apply Today.
