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Teaching AP Computer Science Principles Professional Development Course

Learn about the course content, prerequisites, and enrollment options for our Teaching AP CSP PD Course.

Evelyn Hunter avatar
Written by Evelyn Hunter
Updated over 11 months ago

Teaching AP Computer Science Principles is a Professional Development course that prepares teachers to teach AP Computer Science Principles.

What's covered in the PD course?

Here is an overview of the course units:

  1. Welcome: Get an overview of the AP CS Principles professional development course. Learn about key principles and ideas for teaching the course, discuss access and equity in the field of Computer Science, and set goals and expectations for how to make the most out of this course.

  2. What is AP CS Principles? Learn about the new AP Computer Science Principles course, specific details about the new AP examination, and get an overview of the CodeHS AP CSP curriculum

  3. How CodeHS Works: In this short module you will gain an understanding of what CodeHS is bringing to your classroom, and learn how to use the CodeHS website effectively.

  4. Tools and Resources for CS Principles: AP CS Principles is a brand new course, and we have developed several helpful tools and resources to help you teach this course. In this module, you’ll practice using these new tools and resources.

  5. Teaching a Blended Coding Class: Learn what leading a blended classroom with both online and offline activities looks like, and learn helpful ideas and best practices for incorporating online learning into a traditional classroom.

  6. Programming Bootcamp: Dive in and learn the basics of programming by working through a condensed version of the programming modules in the AP CSP course. 

  7. Teaching Programming Concepts: In this module we’ll cover programming concept by concept and learn about ways to teach in the classroom, common mistakes made by students, and how to grade these types of problems. 

  8. Basics of Debugging: Debugging is locating and fixing errors in programs, and is one of the most important skills for your own programming as well as grading others’ code. In this module we’ll identify common errors in web development code, and teach you effective debugging strategies that you can model and share with your students.

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Course Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this course. The AP Computer Science Principles PD course assumes no prior experience coding or teaching computer science.

This professional development course is designed for passionate teachers who are interested in teaching computer science, but do not necessarily have a background in programming. No experience is required to take the professional development course.  Our professional development can also help computer science teachers who are looking to expand their course offerings to include higher-level or AP computer science courses.

The course can also be for people who are experienced programmers but have not taught in the classroom before. The focus on the pedagogy of teaching computer science and leveraging the blended classroom format makes the online professional development an extremely helpful experience for new teachers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I enroll?

Simply get in touch with us at hello@codehs.com!

There are no applications to fill out, no enrollment limits, no start or end date. The AP Computer Science Principles PD course is open to all at any time. 

How long is the course?

Teachers can expect approximately 30-40 hours of online self paced learning.
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How long will I have access to the course?

The course does not expire, teachers will have access to course content at all times. You can always come back and review the course during the school year.
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Where is the PD located?

The course is entirely web based. Teachers can take this course anywhere anytime.
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What kind of support will I have as I work through the online PD?

CodeHS has a PD Team of former teachers, as well as a network of computer science undergraduate tutors, ready to support you as you work through the PD course.

Teachers will have a dedicated member of the CodeHS PD Team providing one on one support, answering questions, and grading teacher submissions as teachers work through the course. This support continues into the school year.

Teachers will also have access to the CodeHS Teacher Forum as they work through the PD course as well as during the school year. The Teacher Forum is a great resource for learning from other CodeHS teachers, sharing best practices, and getting questions answered.

For more information about the Teaching AP Computer Science Principles PD course, please visit the course info page.

To sign up, contact us at hello@codehs.com

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