The Landscape of Computer Science Education Courses: A Syllabi Analysis
Kathryn Irene Cunningham, Miranda C. Parker, Jonathan Zhang · 2023
Computer science education, which spans topics related to how people teach and learn computer science, has grown from a niche subject to a core area of focus for many educators, computer scientists, and designers of learning technologies. University-level courses about computer science education are a key method for passing on knowledge about the field to the next generation. However, we know very little about how common such courses are, what topics they emphasize, who teaches them, and who learns from them. To better understand computer science education courses, we evaluated the content and goals of 44 university-level courses that teach topics in computer science education, as well as metadata about where and when these courses are offered and the backgrounds of the 36 instructors that teach them. By understanding the current landscape of computer science education courses, we hope to provide insight into not only how the field is training its next generation, but also where computer science education has space to grow.