CSTA Research

High School Computer Science Survey

Across the U.S., there are growing concerns about computer science in high schools. While there are many anecdotal reports about dropping enrollments and state-level teaching certification battles, there is a critical lack of solid information. In an effort to provide research-based information for educators, decision-makers, and researchers, CSTA conducts regular national surveys of high school computer science teachers and disseminates the results of these surveys to the educational community.


This document provides the comparative results for the CSTA 2005 and 2007 National Secondary Computer Science Surveys. For the results of the individual surveys, see below.


This document provides the raw results of the 2007 CSTA National Secondary Computer Science Survey. This survey, examining core questions relating to high school computer science education was developed by CSTA's Research Committee and was distributed in spring 2006 to 13,000 high school teachers who defined themselves as: computer science, computer programming, or AP computer science teachers. Notice of the survey were mailed to teachers across the United States and recipient teachers were directed to an online survey instrument. A total of 1080 teachers responded to the survey (a response rate of 8.3%).


This document provides the raw results of the 2005 CSTA National Secondary Computer Science Survey, and represents the first of our attempts to create a more comprehensive and evolving understanding of high school computer science education. This survey, examining core questions relating to high school computer science education, was developed by CSTA's Research Committee and was administered in fall 2004 to 14,000 high school teachers who defined themselves as computer science, computer programming, or AP computer science teachers. Surveys were mailed to teachers across the United States. A total of 1047 teachers responded to the survey (a response rate of 7.5%).


This document provides an important analysis which the CSTA Research Committee members believe will be able to help you make more sense of the raw results. This document examines some of the key questions and possible conclusions that can be drawn from the data and points out areas where the data can be misleading or incomplete. It also identifies data gaps and important questions that should be examined in future surveys.

ACM K-12 Task Force Committee Curriculum Survey Results

Allen Tucker's Committee on [non-AP] Computing Curricula survey looks at a select number of issues relating to course offerings, curriculum, and certification. It was conducted in 2002 using the AP listserv and HS computing teachers on ISTE's (International Society for Technology in Education) SIGCSE.

Java Learning Needs

This section provides the results of a survey conducted by developers of the Java Engagement for Teacher Training Project. It was intended to identify potential skills gaps by exploring which computer science and object oriented concepts teachers considered themselves familiar with, and which ones they were concerned about teaching.


   

CSTA works at many levels to support computing education.

Middle school
(problem solving &
algorithmic thinking)

High school
(computing &
computer science)

College/university
(enrollment &
transition)

Industry
(engagement &
preparation)