CODERS Summer Newsletter

The 2024 CODERS Launch was a success! Our team was delighted to meet new teachers and greet familiar teachers. For three days, these teachers taught and learned CODERS lessons. Our conversations with them gave us important feedback about the 2024 Launch and the CODERS program. The CODERS MSU team wants to share this feedback with you, alongside year-end findings about the impact of the CODERS program, a few important professional development reminders, and an exciting opportunity for MSU students interested in digital work.

We asked new CODERS teachers to tell us about their experiences at the Launch, and they all reported something similar: the Launch provided abundant information, and they are excited for the challenge of adding coding to supplement their content area lessons. These teachers all seemed determined to successfully teach these lessons. Another year and another launch have given us important data about the effects the CODERS program has on students. We would like to share it with you so you can share it with others:

• Standardized test data shows that second year CODERS students scored 46% higher than non-CODERS students on the math section and 10% higher on the science section.
• Student survey data shows that, over time, the CODERS program increases student feelings about coding and its utility, increases student confidence in their coding abilities, and improves student attitudes toward math.
• In addition to these data sets, we also asked returning CODERS teachers how the program effects their students. One teacher reported that the CODERS program gives her high-achieving students a chance to test their abilities. Another teacher reported that the program has offered her low-performing students a chance to excel.

Thanks to the hard work of CODERS teachers, like you, who integrate coding into your content area in innovative ways, and who report their experiences to the CODERS team at MSU, we can now show that CODERS works!

Because of you, we were able to match 83% of students pre and post surveys last year. To continue that accuracy, we will be asking you in August to make sure that your students use the same ID number when data is collected in the fall and spring.Another tip for the survey in August, consider reading the survey aloud to your students. Some of you reported an improvement in survey completion. Give it a try!

Here are a few important professional development reminders:

• Participation in the CODERS Program requires you to teach five CODERS lessons during the 2024-2025 academic year. You will also need to complete one lesson reflection for each assignment you teach. Lesson reflections can be accessed here.

• If you can, try to get subs now for the regroup dates! Here are the regroup dates for the upcoming academic year:
• September 20, 9:00-5:00
• October 21, 9:00-5:00
• November 13, 9:00-5:00
• February 27, 2025, Coding Olympiad (students and teachers)

The CODERS MSU team looks forward to seeing you at the first CODERS regroup of the academic year! This regroup takes place on Friday, September 20th from 9:00am-5:00pm.