CEDI Q&A Series: Bryan Campbell

The 2020-2021 Computing Educator Diversity Initiative (CEDI) consisted of in-service teachers of color working together as they deepened their computer science content knowledge, pedagogical skills, and equitable strategies — as well as be supported in their efforts to obtain their computer science (CS) teacher certification.

This is the fifth Q&A profile in the Expanding Pathways in Computing (EPIC) series on teachers' experiences with the CEDI program. Bryan Campbell currently teaches CS to high school students at the School of Business and Management for Dallas ISD.

We caught up with Campbell to hear his thoughts on why students should learn CS, his time in the CEDI program, lessons learned from the educators in his cohort, and why he recommends that other teachers join the program.

EPIC/TACC: What piqued your interest in CS and STEM? How did you decide to pursue this field as a career?

Bryan Campbell: I have always had an interest in programming. The School of Business and Management hired me to teach video game design and web development to high schoolers, but I only had a certification in technology education. I wanted to teach AP CS courses, but you need a certification to do so. That's what led me to sign up for the CEDI program.

EPIC/TACC: Do you think you would have passed the exam without completing the CEDI program?

Bryan Campbell: No. … I passed the certification exam after my time in the CEDI program because it gave me a better understanding of the subjects being covered on the test. The CEDI program increased my understanding about data structures, binary trees, and more. And thanks to CEDI, I also learned more effective ways to teach topics I was already familiar with, like how a linked list works.

EPIC/TACC: Do you have a main overall takeaway from your time in the CEDI program?

Bryan Campbell: CEDI enhanced my knowledge of data structures and, more specifically, binary trees. Prior to CEDI, I was aware of binary trees but had not broadly studied the subject. If I wanted to pass the CS certification exam, I needed to study the different ways to traverse a binary tree. In layman's terms, binary trees are useful and popular because they allow for faster retrieval of data when working with large amounts of data. Ultimately, my time in the CEDI program helped me pass the CS certification exam because I was able to strengthen my skills in data structures and binary trees.

EPIC/TACC: What do you hope to see for current and future CS students?

Bryan Campbell: I hope students who pursue CS careers are successful in getting a career in the field. However, if they study CS and pursue a different career, those skills will make them more marketable to future employers. The workforce is global, and if American students aren't being exposed to CS and STEM, it will be harder for them to compete for jobs.

EPIC/TACC: How was the program enhanced by the unique cohort of educators who experienced CEDI with you?

Bryan Campbell: I loved the diversity of our cohort. We were a stronger group because we had teachers from different races, genders, and backgrounds who taught a variety of subjects. My background was in tech, but we also had reading and math teachers in the program. As the number of teachers studying CS rises, it will become a more mainstream subject and more readily available to students.

EPIC/TACC: What is one thing that surprised you about participating in CEDI?

Bryan Campbell: My time in CEDI inspired me to become a better teacher. My skills in Java were strong, but the CEDI program showed me that Python can make coding significantly easier. Now, I can teach both Python and Java to my students, and I'm grateful to the CEDI leaders for helping me become a more well-rounded educator.

EPIC/TACC: Why should other teachers sign up for the CEDI program?

Bryan Campbell: We must increase diversity among CS teachers, so students have examples to follow. If there's a female CS teacher in the classroom, she may inspire female students to follow her example and pursue a CS career. I want to inspire students in that same way. Students look up to teachers, so we must show them that CS is for them. If a student wanted to pursue CS or engineering, I feel that my presence in the classroom will inspire them because of our similar backgrounds.

EPIC/TACC: Thank you for your time and contributions to teaching CS and STEM, Mr. Campbell.

The CEDI Program has been funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF #1837602) and Microsoft. Read more in the CEDI Special Report.

The EPIC Team at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) exists to broaden participation in K20 computing pathways through research, outreach, professional development, and policy advocacy. To achieve this mission, we partner with school districts, institutions of higher education, industry leaders, and federal, state, and local government entities who are also dedicated to expanding access and opportunity for historically underserved students in computing.