How can I use the Ready to Code facilitation pathway to further my knowledge of computational thinking?
The pathway lays out key themes we've found are critical to facilitating learning for youth. The five themes, directly reflect core libraries such as delivery and engaging families. Each theme walk you through a progression of skill and knowledge building: from initial recognition of the value of each theme, through learning, implementing and advocating. While these levels are progressive, they can also be cyclical (e.g. upon reaching each level of advocate in a certain area, you might recognize new ways the work relates to you community, and be inspired to learn more and adopt implementation).
Recognize how CT related to youth services library work and to community.
Learn technique to integrate CT into library activities.
Implement effective CT programs.
Advocate for the value of library CT programs to stakeholders.
Broadening Participation
that equitable and inclusive learning environments are required to reach diverse youth through library CT activities.
- Knows the importance of reaching underrepresented youth & families in order to support CT learning
- Acknowledges the importance of working with non-traditional library users and community members to connect with underrepresented youth & families around CT learning
how to design equitable and inclusive learning environments to support CT and plans potential strategies for their unique environment.
- Seeks out strategies to equitably reach youth from underrepresented communities
- Works with community to identify CT learning needs of underrepresented youth and families
- Builds relationships with underrepresented youth & families inside and outside of the library to discover how to connect them to CT learning opportunities
equitable and inclusive CT learning environments, including focused recruitment and retention efforts.
- Increases the number of participants in CT activities who are members of underrepresented communities
- Actively ensures CT activities incorporate needs and interests of underrepresented populations
- Recruits facilitators who reflect the makeup of youth and families engaged in CT learning
- Recruits inside and outside of the library to engage with and retain underrepresented youth and families that may not traditionally think of the library as a CT learning space
- Implements principles for inclusive CT learning environments while gathering evidence of effectiveness
the value of CT learning environments that are equitable and inclusive, especially in ways that show evidence of effectiveness.
- Speaks with colleagues, community members, and families about the value of facilitating CT learning for and with underrepresented youth & families
- Models techniques for building inclusive CT learning environments with colleagues, administrators, and community members
Connecting Youth Interests and Emphasizing Youth Voice
that connecting to youth interests and emphasizing their voice can strengthen engagement and learning in CT.
- Acknowledges that an awareness of local youth interests is essential to developing successful CT activities
- Appreciates the value youth voice has in the planning and implementation of CT activities
about local youth interests and how to give these youth opportunities to design and implement CT activities.
- Builds relationships, inside and outside of the library, with youth, caregivers, and stakeholders to learn about the needs and interests of youth in the local community
- Develops strategies for bringing youth into the CT activity planning and implementation process
CT activities that embed youth interests & youth leadership.
- Utilizes knowledge of local community youth interests to deliver CT activities that connect to those interests
- Sees increased engagement of youth in planning and implementing CT library activities
- Creates learning environments in which youth have the opportunity to engage with and learn from each other, teach each other, and collaborate with each other
- Incorporates research related to youth voice into CT activities
the value of embedding youth voice and interests in CT activities.
- Articulates to community members and colleagues the value of integrating youth interests and voice into CT activities
- Mentors and coaches colleagues and community members on integrating youth interests and youth voice in CT activities
Engaging with Communities
the value of working with community members, organizations, and a variety of stakeholders in planning and implementing CT activities.
- Appreciates the skills, knowledge, and expertise that others in the community have and can bring to CT activities
- Acknowledges that library staff are not required to have expertise in all areas related to CT and can fill in gaps through engaging with community members, organizations, and stakeholders
about expertise available in the community to support CT activities and explores ways to make connections with individuals and organizations.
- Builds relationships, inside and outside of the library, with community members, organizations, and stakeholders in order to learn about the expertise available within the community.
- Seeks opportunities to harness the expertise available in the community in order to implement high-quality CT activities for youth
- Uncovers, within the library, gaps in expertise, skills, resources, space, and time and seeks out community support to fill these gaps
partnerships with community members, organizations, and stakeholders in the design and implementation of CT activities.
- Increases the number of community members, organizations, and stakeholders that play a central role in planning and implementing CT activities
- Utilizes knowledge of the community in developing and implementing CT activities that related to the community’s specific expertise, needs, and interests
the value of connecting with community members, organizations, and stakeholders in supporting the CT learning needs of youth.
- Articulates the value of engaging with community in order to design and implement CT activities for youth to colleagues and relevant stakeholders
- Articulates to the community the value the library brings to CT activities for and with youth, families, and the community
- Mentors other library staff in community engagement strategies in order to learn about the expertise available in the community
Engaging with Families
that family can play a key role in supporting CT learning, by connecting CT to learning that happens in other places.
- Acknowledges that parents and caregivers have a role to play in the successful design and implementation of CT activities for youth
- Appreciates the skills and knowledge that families can bring to the design and implementation of CT activities for youth
about the needs and interests of local families in order to design and implement community and family-based CT activities.
- Builds relationships, inside and outside of the library, with families in order to learn about the needs and interests of youth in the local community
- Brings families into CT activity development to learn about the needs of adults and youth in the community
CT activities in which families are actively engaged through participation and/or communication.
- Utilizes knowledge of local family needs and interests in the design and implementation of CT activities
- Sees increase in the number of family members and the diversity of families that participate in CT activities
- Designs CT activities in which family members and youth of all ages learn together
- Engages with families inside and outside of the library in order to deliver CT activities for youth
the value of family engagement as a part of CT library activities.
- Articulates the value of working with families in order to develop quality CT activities for youth to colleagues and relevant stakeholders
- Mentors other library staff in strategies for connecting with families in the local community
Demonstrating Outcomes Through Impact
that CT activities can be strengthened and of more value when there is measured impact on youth, families, the library, and community stakeholders
- Acknowledges the short and long term impact that library CT activities have on youth, families, and the community
- Appreciates that the long-term effect of CT activities is valuable in supporting youth in academics, careers, and life
how to measure the impact of the library’s CT activities to address community CT needs and develops a plan for evaluation and/or measurement.
- Through sustained relationships with key community stakeholders and families library staff continues to update understanding of CT needs of youth
- Studies outcome measurement techniques to design and implement data gathering tools that lead to accurate understanding of intended impact
short and long term data gathering that can be used for program improvement and that can demonstrate the effect of CT activities on youth, families, libraries and the community.
- Seeks opportunities to build library activities that fill CT learning gaps of youth, families, and stakeholders
- Utilizes a variety of techniques to measure the short and long-term effect of the library’s CT activities
- Designs CT activities in which family members and youth of all ages learn together
- Utliizes results of outcomes assessment in designing, revising, and implementing future CT activities for youth, families, and stakeholders
- Uses results and experiences with facilitating CT activities to identify professional development needs of library staff
the value that using evidence of effectiveness for CT activities can bring to program design, advocacy, funding, and expansion
- Articulates, to colleagues and community members, through the use of data, the positive impact that library CT activities have on youth, families, library staff, and the community
- Mentors and coaches using CT methods and tools developed through results of assessments to build the capacity of other library staff
