Press ReleaseAmanda Vaden
Computer Science Curriculum with BOLT image.
BOULDER, Colo., August 19, 2019 ‒ Sphero, inspiring the creators of tomorrow in both classrooms and living rooms since 2010, today launched Computer Science Foundations (CSF), the company’s first standards-aligned computer science curriculum designed to be taught in the classroom alongside Sphero robots. CSF bolsters Sphero’s reputation as the leader in STEAM and computer science education. More than 40,000 teachers at 20,000 schools worldwide use Sphero educational tools and easy-to-use content to empower the next generation with resiliency, creativity, and problem-solving skills. The curriculum also further expands Sphero’s full-stack portfolio of hardware, software, content and professional development for teachers—diverse offerings that equip educators with everything they need to transform learning in the classroom.

Through CSF, students learn STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) principles over three courses directed at 3rd - 8th grade to help nurture students' interest in computer science. Customized lessons will be delivered via the Sphero Edu app and include an accompanying teacher guide so teachers and students can learn and grow together.

“Sphero has always been about helping kids learn through having fun with technology, especially in the classroom. To do it right requires going big—supporting teachers to make bold, exciting changes in how we engage students in STEAM,” said Paul Berberian, Chief Executive Officer of Sphero. “Given the large network of schools that love to use Sphero robots and tools, we’re in a unique position which allows us to scale a curriculum rooted in hands-on, play-based learning.”

For nearly a decade, the Sphero Edu program has helped teachers, schools and districts go #BeyondCode with robots and resources that help bring math, science, music and art lessons off the pages of traditional textbooks and into real-world applications. Sphero has always recognized that it’s not enough to provide teachers with hardware alone; which is why, in 2015, Sphero introduced the Sphero Edu app to provide thousands of activities and lesson ideas in order to make teaching with Sphero tools as easy as possible. Now, CSF provides educators with a more deliberate, year-round progression to support student skill development and mastery, starting with building sequences, growing into more complex algorithms with Scratch Blocks, and eventually gaining a strong foundation in JavaScript programming. Courses are most compatible with Sphero’s popular round robots, the Sphero BOLT, Sphero SPRK+, and Sphero Mini.

Sphero hopes to integrate CSF into 1,000 school districts by December of 2020. Next year, the company will conduct an efficacy study of CSF, and the findings will inform future content and curriculum development.

To date, more than 1.5 million students globally have been positively impacted by Sphero Edu and its work to educate kids surrounding technology and computer science.

ABOUT SPHERO: Sphero has been inspiring the creators of tomorrow through creative learning and play since 2010. From its humble beginnings in Boulder, CO, Sphero has become the #1 robot in education, available in 40,000+ institutions globally. With new offerings coming out all the time to help kids start, grow, and graduate with Sphero, our robots truly go #BeyondCode. Learn more at sphero.com.

ABOUT SPHERO EDU:
Sphero Edu uses app-enabled robots to foster creativity through discovery and play, all while laying the foundation for computer science. The Sphero Edu program goes #BeyondCode with collaborative STEAM activities, nurturing students’ imaginations in ways no other education program can. Cross-platform apps are accessible for all skill levels, allowing us to reach as many minds as possible. To date, the Sphero Edu team works with more than 40,000 educators, in more than 20,000 schools across the globe. More than 1.5 million students have been positively impacted through Sphero Edu and its work to educate kids surrounding technology and computer science. For more information, visit sphero.com/education or follow @SpheroEdu on Twitter.

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