While computer science integration in subjects like math, languages, arts, etc. is a priority in the U.S. and other countries, the reality is less optimistic. Teachers struggle with the lack of support to address different educational needs, scattered resources, and constructive dialogues about issues at hand.
Monika Katkutė, founder and CEO of Teachers Lead Tech
July 28, 2023. Introducing computer science in U.S. schools has been said to boost economic growth and facilitate employment options and is currently a priority for the majority of public schools. That said, the integration of the subject into school curricula, especially at the K-5 (kindergarten to fifth grade) level, is overcome with numerous hurdles. Only 6% of U.S. students chose the computer science subject in 2022 despite more than half of public schools offering courses.
The issue extends beyond students’ reluctance to opt for such subjects as teachers find integrating computer science into the overcrowded curriculum challenging. Simultaneously, students come from different backgrounds and have varying educational needs, which tasks teachers with finding the right tools to help them out while also boosting student engagement and creativity.
Mother of three sees the need for integrated and creative CS
Being a mother of three herself and experiencing educational shortcomings firsthand, Monika Katkutė, founder and CEO of Teachers Lead Tech, a computer science teaching platform for K-5 educators, recognized that the gap between educational systems and the fast-changing real world prevents students from fulfilling their true potential.
Committed to facilitating inclusive technology education for K-5 students, she opened a technology academy in Lithuania, which reached over 20K children. Having participated in the academy’s educational activity herself and seeing the impact of the subjects taught on the students’ lives, Katkutė identified the building block needed to equip children with fundamental computer science skills—a teachers-first approach.
“Teachers struggle with incorporating computer science subjects in their educational agendas as there are virtually no clear standards to measure students’ CS knowledge and learning level. Resources are scattered all over the place and aggravate curriculum planning. These issues subsequently hinder students’ CS acquisition and prevent them from discovering CS subject in a creative and interdisciplinary way,” Katkutė said. “Therefore, addressing teachers’ needs and their teaching objectives while providing them with effective tools and support, is crucial in reducing the CS-related gap in public schools. ”
Platform provides a support network to educators worldwide
As one of the top 14 female edtech founders and a fellow of Europe’s Female EdTech Fellowship Program, Katkutė is committed to empowering teachers to tackle the challenges of computer science education through the Teachers Lead Tech platform.
The platform has raised rounds of USD 650K in investments and has just been voted as the winner of the Learning and Education category of the World Summit Awards 2023. It has already contracted 60% of primary school teachers in the home market within the first 18 months and impacted over 100K students.
Besides offering a robust CS curriculum, classroom tools, and a support network for educators, the platform has also partnered with digital companies like Google, MailerLite, and Vinted, Lithuania’s first unicorn, as well as city governments and the Ministry of Education to champion a long-term impact. The integration of computer sciences in the educational curriculum has already yielded results in the home market—some teachers report that students’ math grades have increased by 20%, and engagement levels have been significantly enhanced.
Now the platform is expanding to the U.S. intending to reach 20M students by 2025.
“Scaling to the U.S., the platform has been construed to help overcome numerous computer science hurdles for teachers. It offers a comprehensive system, a consistent curriculum for different learning levels, classroom tools, and multifaceted support for teachers. This makes teaching computer science to K-5 students more structured and therefore impactful,” the founder added. “Computer science is also incorporated into subjects like math, languages, arts, science, and others to ensure that students perceive CS aspects through different subjects in the curriculum.”
A digital learning buddy is available on the platform to take a chunk of the educational load off the teachers and help them with pre-class preparations and management while simultaneously assisting students with their learning needs. Addressing the urgency to have uniform learning standards for computer science, the platform follows a CSTA-aligned approach that guides students in learning computer science subjects and creating individual projects.
Teachers Lead Tech is currently seeking partnerships with the U.S. states, districts, and schools to integrate computer science into K-5 curricula.
ABOUT TEACHERS LEAD TECH
Teachers Lead Tech is an education platform for K-5 teachers, introducing technological creation (animation, 3D modeling, creative programming, AI, etc.) skills to the classroom. By equipping teachers with the necessary curricula, tools, and supportive community, the platform empowers them to provide a holistic learning experience and effectively teach creative computer science skills to every girl and boy, ensuring no one is left behind.
Media contact:
Justė Kulikauskaitė
juste.k@blueoceanspr.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
