In 2018, only 78 computer science teachers graduated. Schools are currently facing a shortage of computer science teachers. Rural schools may experience an even greater shortage. With a small pool of computer science teachers, it becomes challenging to maintain a computer science curriculum and to provide courses that cover a vast variety of specificities within computer science. There are companies that help schools with this problem by providing resources that are needed to give students a high-quality computer science education. The list below outlines 10 reasons schools should employ external companies to fill the gap in order to provide increasingly important computer science education.
- Curriculum Created by Professionals
There is currently a shortage of computer science professionals. Recent graduates with computer science degrees gravitate towards jobs outside of education due to high starting pay rates with consistent raises. Additionally, many teachers who specialize in computer science are nearing retirement. The shortage of computer science teachers makes it difficult for schools to maintain an up-to-date computer science curriculum. Schools do not have internal resources that support high-quality and knowledgeable content, but tech companies are able to hire the topmost professionals with the highest level of expertise, whose primary focus is on designing curriculum. Furthermore, the content produced by tech companies goes through a variety of different professionals before being published, thus, ensuring quality and accuracy.
- Lack of Computer Science Teachers
Only 78 computer science teachers graduated across the nation in 2018. With so few teachers graduating, it isn’t a surprise to see a shortage of computer science and tech teachers at schools. The small pool of teachers means that the schools are limited in their resources for building a strong curriculum and quality content. Due to the rapidly changing nature of computer science, teachers must dedicate time to professional development and continuing education in order to maintain a curriculum. It is a challenge for schools to maintain up-to-date knowledge since computer science is such a vast field with multiple specialties when a school may be facing a teacher shortage. However, external companies develop curriculum with a strong pedagogical background and a curriculum that is up-to-date. Utilizing curriculum designed by external companies allows teachers to focus on individualized learning and student engagement in the computer science classroom.
- Constant Upgrades and Improvement to Curriculum
The ever-changing nature of the tech field and the computer science teaching shortage makes it difficult to maintain an up-to-date computer science curriculum. By contrast, external companies have the resources to ensure that content remains relevant and current. With tech companies sole focus remaining on providing high quality computer science education, the company constantly improves curriculum to include the latest innovations and breakthroughs.
- New Content Always Being Created
With new coding languages, cyber security tricks, AI developments, and progress in the tech field, it’s only natural that new classes and content must be developed. External companies are always monitoring these advances to ensure students have access to the latest curriculum. As new technology breakthroughs occur, tech companies can integrate the information and skills into their curriculum.
- In Depth Content for Students and Teachers
External companies hire professionals who are masters in the content, ensuring thorough, in–depth curriculum. Tech companies assist teachers by providing detailed and thorough quizzes, homework assignments, projects, grading rubrics, and teacher notes that explain topics and provide suggestions for how to teach them. With the content that is provided by the external companies, teachers are able to dedicate their time to reviewing student data, individualized instruction and supporting student learning. 
- Technology is too Vast a Topic for One Teacher
Every aspect of modern life is marked with the presence of technology. With this amount of tech, it is impossible for one teacher to be able to master all the concepts and to maintain a curriculum with detailed content that covers each specialty. Since there is a small pool of computer science teachers, it is often the case that one teacher must create a curriculum and teach multiple computer science specialties. External companies hire a variety of experts in varying fields to create diverse content, ensuring quality curriculum for every topic.
- Provides Platforms with Auto Grading and Analytics
External companies, such as Rex Academy, provide their own online technology learning platform with built–in addons and capabilities, some of which are auto–grading capabilities for all computer science related curriculum, homework, tests, and projects, saving teachers hours of time. Furthermore, Rex Academy platforms come with built–in online labs and interactive simulations, which is difficult for schools to provide with their own resources. These platforms not only provide a way for purely theoretical classes to employ hands–on practice utilizing real world tools, but also a safe learning environment for teaching classes such as Cyber Security. Additionally, the platform provides teachers with various analytics to analyze student mastery and to spur student growth and improvement. Utilizing platforms, such as the one offered by Rex Academy, allows schools and teachers to focus their resources on individualized instruction and student engagement.
- Less Work for Schools and Teachers
Hiring external companies reduces the time, effort, and cost of creating curriculum. Teachers don’t have to spend hours coming up with projects, tests, homework, lesson plans, or grades, and schools don’t have to pay for this overwhelming endeavor. Schools already have unimaginable amounts of responsibilities, why add a few more?
- Companies have Competition Ensuring Only the Best Is Acceptable
An external company must deal with overwhelming numbers of competitors. For that company to survive, they must create top-notch curriculum. Nothing short of amazing is acceptable. If a company’s curriculum isn’t the best, their competitor will put them out of business. The competitive environment forces companies to have truly the best curriculum available.
- External Companies Direct 100% of Their Attention to Curriculum
While a school needs to manage a multitude of subjects, classes, grades, employees, and so much more, an external company directs its whole attention to purely tech education. This allows tech companies to hire experts, constantly update curriculum, compensate for the lack of computer science teachers, create new content, provide platforms and tools specific to technology, and so much more.
Hiring external companies such as Rex Academy, provides a multitude of benefits to schools, teachers, students, and the whole education sphere. Contact Rex Academy now to see how you can implement their courses in your school.