NSF Interactive Discussion: Computer Science Undergraduate Education in 2026 and Beyond

By 2026, today's fifth graders will be entering college and our first-year college students will be the assistant professors. The workforce will see (r)evolutionary changes in the workplace at the human-technology frontier. Participants will be asked to think strategically about how we will reach the future we want to live. Content delivery mechanisms and active learning/project-based experiences for undergraduate students have developed and matured at a dramatic pace in recent years. How can we leverage what we already know, working to improve and broaden undergraduate STEM education and computing education in particular? How do we prepare students to solve the wicked societal problems of the future? Will students require problem-solving skills that transcend disciplines? Is interdisciplinarity teachable at the undergraduate computer science level? Which skills/knowledge will employers and graduate schools require in 10/20 years? The National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education is preparing to have a nationwide dialogue with STEM communities and industry partners on this topic. Participants in this highly interactive session will collectively construct a shared vision for the future of computing sciences education, and outline a research agenda for the future.