CSTA 2025 has over 200 sessions dedicated to expanding knowledge in CS education. Putting together your conference schedule can be overwhelming, which is why the CSTA 2025 Conference Committee has made specific recommendations based on what you may be looking for. Here are five sessions that administration and leadership won’t want to miss!
Coaching for Equity
July 8, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM ET
Workshop presented by Madeline Burton and Brad Haugen
This hands-on workshop is designed for educators, coaches, and administrators who want to build equity-driven coaching practices within computer science education. Participants will explore the coaching cycle through an equity lens, focusing on strategies for building strong relationships, setting impactful goals, observing with asset-based perspectives, and providing constructive feedback. Breakout activities, including goal-setting scenarios, guided video observations, and a lesson “glow-up,” will help participants develop the tools to support teachers in creating inclusive, differentiated, and culturally relevant learning experiences. Building on work from Elena Aguilar and Cornell Tech, and aligning with CSTA Teacher Standards, this workshop equips participants to support equitable CS instruction and foster sustained growth in teachers they support.
Empowering Educator Advocates for Equitable CS Education
July 11, 12:00 PM-3:00 AM ET
Workshop presented by Alexis Cobo, Todd Lash, and Rudy Escobar
This workshop prepares educators to champion equitable access to computer science education within their communities. Leveraging multiple tools, including the CSTA Policy Toolkit, participants will learn to navigate education policy, design persuasive policy briefings, and advocate effectively for CS initiatives. Participants will explore the structure of education policy and strategies to increase CS access, including resources such as the State of CS data and other recent research. We’ll work with real-world data to craft briefings on essential areas, including funding and outreach, research, teacher training, and course pathways. Using the Legislation Builder Activity, educators will draft actionable policies and develop concise “elevator pitches” for policymakers. The workshop also covers strategies to engage local partners and build a network supporting equitable CS education. By the end of this workshop, educators will be equipped with practical advocacy tools, policy design skills, and a strategic plan to advance inclusive CS education in their communities.
Use Peer Coaching to Be a CS Integration Rockstar!
July 9, 9:00 AM-10:00 AM ET
Breakout session presented by Kristen Franklin and Valerie Fawley
How can educator peer coaching create CS teacher rock stars? In this eye-opening session, we’ll share experiences of using peer coaching to integrate computer science into rural middle school social studies classrooms. We’ll discuss strategies for blending storytelling and computer science, using unplugged activities and a digital tool called Twine. We’ll also share practical tips and resources for creating a peer coaching cycle, including how to create peer coaches, pair them with appropriate partner educators, and use the power of storytelling to connect CS to core content. Our presentation will spotlight the challenges and triumphs of our National Science Foundation–funded project. Attendees will learn how we’ve empowered middle school social studies teachers to integrate computer science into their curriculum, and how peer coaching can positively enhance CS integration in your own school. Let’s rock the world of CS education together!
Thriving Educators: Unlocking Well-Being for Personal and Professional Success
July 10, 2:30 PM-3:30 PM ET
Breakout session presented by Michelle Shomo Pierce and Ebonie Campbell
Educator wellness is vital for enhancing teaching effectiveness, supporting positive student outcomes, and fostering a healthy work-life balance. This presentation explores the multi-faceted nature of educator wellness, including emotional, physical, mental, and professional well-being, as well as the importance of social connections. We will examine key stressors—like workload, classroom management, and systemic challenges—that contribute to burnout and emotional fatigue, while highlighting the effects of poor wellness on teaching quality, personal life, and student engagement. Offering actionable strategies, the session will cover personal wellness techniques such as time management, mindfulness, and boundary-setting, along with tips for physical and emotional health. Attendees will learn about the role of professional support networks and institutional practices, including wellness-centered policies, workload reduction, and professional development. Through practical insights and a call to prioritize wellness, this presentation focuses on the shared responsibility of educators and institutions to create a healthier, more effective learning environment for all.
AI Ready: Future-Forward CS Education
July 8, 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET
Breakout session presented by Laura Gray, Laura Ventura, and Sallie Holloway
The rapid evolution of AI technologies is impacting every industry and has changed the essential skills needed for the workforce. While computer science teachers have always focused on developing future tech innovators and creators, AI presents new considerations for how to develop students’ CS skills. What existing content needs to be updated? How do we develop students’ understanding of AI? What role do AI tools play in the CS learning process? As we witness the impact of AI technology, which can often exacerbate technology disparities and power imbalances, it’s critical to ensure that all students have access to the education they need to excel in a newly AI-driven world. Since 2019, Gwinnett County Public Schools has been a pioneer in AI education. Attendees to this session will learn how we’ve established our AI-Ready learning models and explore real-world examples of incorporating AI content, developing AI literacy, and implementing AI tools to support computer science learning. The session will equip attendees with an in-depth understanding of our AI-Ready framework, examples of AI learning in K–12 CS classrooms, and resources to implement this framework in their own classrooms. Join us as we explore the future of CS education!
Register for CSTA 2025
Be sure to head to the full conference program to read more about these recommendations and plan which sessions you want to attend. If you haven’t registered for the annual conference yet, head to the CSTA 2025 website to secure your spot. We are excited to see you there!