Enabling the next generation of post-secondary CS teachers

Zoom link for remote participants.  Meeting ID:  990 9292 4689.  Passcode:  440864

Abstract:  Computer science (CS) post-secondary programs continue to proliferate and expand in response to the still-unmet student demand for computational skills.  To meet this demand, institutions are increasingly creating and hiring for teaching-focused positions (i.e. positions where at least 50% of time is spend on teaching).  However, hiring efforts are stymied, in part, by mismatches between the expectations of hiring committees and available opportunities designed to prepare new instructors for post-secondary teaching positions, leading to a lack of qualified candidates.

In this talk, I will discuss how we can better prepare students for post-secondary CS teaching careers, including ideas for increasing teaching career visibility, teaching-related opportunities, and access to teaching careers.  Throughout, I will include current and planned efforts in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) at the University of Washington toward making post-secondary CS teaching a visible, “first-class” career option for its undergraduate and graduate students, alongside the more common industry and research pathways, as well as insights for alternate efforts from other institutions.

Bio:  Justin Hsia is an Associate Teaching Professor at the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering at the University of Washington.  He primarily teaches computer engineering courses and also focuses on the training and mentoring of teaching assistants and instructors, including originating the role of CSE Summer Courses Coordinator and co-chairing the Teaching Faculty Recruiting Committee.  He has received the UW ACM Teaching Award and has been nominated for the UW Distinguished Teaching Award.  He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences from the University of California, Berkeley.