Connecting with and Listening to Students with Dominick Sanders

#CSK8 Podcast - A podcast for computer science educators

In this interview with Dominick Sanders, we discuss the importance of connecting with and listening to students, the impact of being a positive role model for kids, considering equity for individuals and across the entire state of South Carolina, what Dominick learned through their experience with Xposure STEM, Dominick’s plan for improving CS in South Carolina, Dominick’s experience with CSTA’s Equity Fellowship, how Dominick continues to learn and grow as a CS educator, thinking through intersectionality in relation to representation, and so much more.

Click here for this episode’s show notes.

How to Get Started with Computer Science Education

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00:00 Intro

01:45 An introduction by Dominick

02:04 How Dominick got into CS education

02:54 Why Dominick went into CS education instead of industry

03:49 Experiences in education that continue to impact Dominick

05:20 How Dominick recruited students into his CS classes

06:59 Something that Dominick no longer believes about education

09:07 What is holding back educators and what can we do about it?

10:04 You can be what you can't see

11:55 How this quote informs Dominick's approach to education

13:36 Xposure STEM

15:34 How Dominick hopes to impact CS in South Carolina

17:30 Recommendations for improving equity and inclusion in CS

19:25 How Dominick became a CSTA Equity Fellow

21:05 What Dominck hopes CS will look like in five years

22:22 How Dominick helps teachers see new ways to teach

24:39 How Dominick iterates on his own abilities

28:17 How Dominick prevents burnout

30:12 Where are there gaps in current research?

31:28 Something a listener might help Dominick with

33:04 Current gaps in computer science education

35:53 Representation and intersectionality

37:45 How to connect with Dominick

38:32 Outro