Develop your students' computer skills. Earn your Computer Science Endorsement and be equipped to teach students in grades K-8 and/or 5-12 computer and programming skills. By completing this graduate-level endorsement, teachers are authorized to teach selected computer science and computer programming courses. The program focuses on systems and networks, data representation, abstraction and designing, as well as developing, testing and refining algorithms that prepare teachers to improve student outcomes and leads to an Iowa Endorsement #277 (K-8) and/or #278 (5-12).*
Teaching computer science is an essential part of today's education curriculum. Broaden your abilities to provide students with the tools they need to excel in a 21st-century digital economy.
Endorsement students must hold a valid teaching license with at least one additional teaching endorsement.
It's more than a lane change.
*If you are not teaching in the state of Iowa, contact us and we will check with your state's department of education to determine if NWC's Computer Science Endorsement is comparable to and can be substituted for a certification in your state.
100% online. 8-week courses.
Earning an endorsement will broaden your teaching opportunities, and it doesn't have to cost you time away from your other responsibilities. Northwestern College's online endorsements mean you can log into class each week to complete your coursework, whenever it's most convenient for you.
Take one online 8-week class at a time, completing two classes each semester, and you'll finish your endorsement in under 1 year.
Grant funding eligible
This endorsement qualifies for funds from the Computer Science Professional Development Incentive Fund. We partner with school districts to invest in their educators by enrolling a cohort of teachers. Districts interested in this exciting opportunity must submit their application by November 17, 2024. For further information, visit the Iowa Department of Education.
Program Requirements
Courses
CSED 500 - Problem Solving and Algorithms
This course focuses on using computer-programming techniques to build robust
computer programs. The course emphasizes a consistent methodology for
designing, developing, testing, and refining code, with a primary focus on
implementing this methodology in a classroom setting. A text-based
procedural and/or object-oriented language will be used to implement
solutions to the programming problems. Several classic algorithms will be
introduced, with solutions featuring dynamic data structures and complex
data types. Multiple solutions will be compared and contrasted to determine
their relative strengths and weaknesses. (4 credits)
CSED 525 - Computers and Networks for a Connected World
This course is concerned with how computers work and interact on both big
and small scales. First, the course covers the machine-level representation
of data its abstraction to primitive data types. Next, we consider the role
of a computer's operating system in managing the computer's data, memory,
and computation cycles. Then, our view of computation is expanded to include
many computers communicating via a network, including the client-server
paradigm and various protocols used to pass data back and forth. Our
definition of "computer" is expanded to include the various mobile devices
we use on a daily basis. Finally, we consider the frontiers of computing in
an always-on, connected world, investigating topics such as big data and
artificial intelligence. (4 credits)
CSED 550 - Programming Fundamentals for Educators
This course introduces the fundamental building blocks of programming,
including primitive data types, functions, branching, iteration, basic data
structures, and common searching and sorting algorithms. Content will be
presented primarily using a block-based visual language, but some topics may
be presented using, as well. The software, code examples and code projects
featured in this course will be appropriate for teaching middle school and
secondary students with little to no prior programming experience. (4
credits)
CSED 575 - Methods of Teaching Computer Science
This course explores computer sciences as a discipline at the K-8 and 5-12
levels that encourages inquiry, creativity, and collaboration. Given that
the nature of computing is investigative, the computer science activities
will be hands-on to gain insights about teaching and learning computing
concepts in classroom settings. Students will examine a variety of computing
tools, virtual environments, and other instructional resources that support
learning across disciplines. Students will learn that pedagogical methods in
computer science require intellectual rigor in order to develop lessons that
are relevant and pertinent to our culturally diverse world today. (3
credits)
Total Credits: 15
Make it a Masters!
Master Teacher M.Ed. + Computer Science
Easily apply the 4 endorsement courses toward a Master of Education degree. The 15-credit Computer Science endorsement fulfills the 12-15 elective credits required in the Master Teacher track, allowing you to complete only 6 more courses (18 credits) to earn your graduate degree.
Learn more about the Master Teacher M.Ed. track.
Take the next step!
