Snap Inc. Institute for Technology & Education (SITE)

Mission and Vision

Made possible from a historic gift from Snap Inc. and CSforALL's CSforED initiative, and housed within the College of Education, the mission of the Snap Inc. Institute for Technology & Education (SITE) is to make high-quality, standard-aligned computer science (CS) an integral part of the educational experience of all K-12 students in the Los Angeles area.

The Institute stands in strong alignment with the College of Education’s vision of preparing critical educators who co-create and enact transformative change. We challenge the ways technology perpetuates existing power structures and actively seek to transform how technology is used to reproduce systems of inequity and oppression.

Finally, we center the importance of joy as a foundational reason for engaging in CS education.

Scope of Work

The Institute’s work focuses on three main areas:

1. Curricular Development, Innovation, and Transformation;

2. Teaching and Transforming Computing Education through Partnerships; and

3. Robust Academic Research on our Efforts.

SITE Personnel

	Mike Karlin, PhD (he/they) SITE Director mkarlin@csudh.edu \| 310-243-2706 A former pK-12 STEM teacher and education technology coach, Dr. Karlin currently supports future elementary educators on their journey to the classroom with a focus on critical, justice-oriented STEM integration. His research centers around broadening participation in STEM and computer science, as well as leveraging education technology to increase access and equity.
	Swati Mehta, PhD (she/her) SITE Post-Doctoral Scholar smehta@csudh.edu A critical computer science education scholar who studies culturally responsive and sustainable ways of teaching technology in computer science and STEM disciplines. In her work, Dr. Mehta pushes normative ways of engaging with coding and computational thinking concepts at the K-12 and undergraduate level. Through her work she seeks to create equitable CS learning spaces particular for those who has been historically marginalized.
	Mahya Babaie, EdD (she/her) SITE Post-Doctoral Scholar mbabaie@csudh.edu An educator for over a decade, Dr. Babaie has served as a middle school Science educator, educational technology coordinator, professional development advisor, STEM coordinator, Dean of Academics, faculty and supervisor at CalTeach program at UCI, and most recently as a program facilitator at UCI Science Project. Dr. Babaie's passion for STEM education includes a deep commitment to improve access to K-12 STEM education, particularly Computer Science courses, and better prepare students for STEM majors and career pathways.
	Kirk Rogers Jr., PhD (he/him) SITE Faculty Fellow krogers@csudh.edu A 2021 Ford Dissertation Fellow who earned his PhD in Education at UC Diego, Dr. Rogers' dissertation research centered math as a major gatekeeper for BIPOC students interested in pursuing STEM careers. Dr. Rogers taught middle school math and science in Atlanta, GA, for six years and continues to work with youth, teaching at a STEAM summer camp in the summer months. His future goal is to make the P—20 STEM pipeline more inclusive by pushing back against traditional notions of who can “do” STEM. Dr. Rogers' lifelong career goal is to dismantle the STEM field such that the larger community begins to rethink STEM, ultimately creating more diverse, inclusive, and culturally relevant STEM spaces; spaces that value the strengths and unique talents of BIPOC students, women, and other historically marginalized groups.
	Afreen Iqbal (she/her) Graduate Research Assistant aiqbal3@toromail.csudh.edu Pursuing a Masters in Cybersecurity and having two peer-reviewed research publications in the field of computer science and technology, Afreen Iqbal currently works as a research assistant for SICE and the College of Education. Afreen is passionate about bringing computer science education to students at the elementary level and helping students broaden their career path to include opportunities in computer science.

SITE in the News

Large Donation at CSUDH to Be Used to Foster Equity in STEM (NBC News)

Investing in Our Future: 1000x Impact (Snap Inc. DEI Summit)

CSUDH Receives Largest Single Donation in University History from Snap Inc. (CSUDH News Center)

Llega instituto para enfrentar la desigualdad educativa en Los Ángeles (La Opinión)

Snap Inc. Donation Helps Formulate A New Computer Science Curriculum To Increase Inclusivity (CSUDH Bulletin)

ED and ISTE Launch Initiative to Improve Tech Proficiency of New Teachers to Increase Digital Equity (T|H|E Journal)

SITE Research and Publications

Peer-Reviewed Publications

Karlin, M., Stephany, C., Reed, M. (In Press). Coding to Connect: Centering Joy and Community in Elementary Computer Science Education. In Dialogue/En Diálogo.

Karlin, M., Liao, Y.C., Mehta, S. (Accepted for Publication). Exploring Computer Science Understanding and Rationales in Preservice Teacher Pathways through Faculty Professional Development. Journal of Research on Technology in Education.

Conference Presentations and Invited Talks

Pandya, J.Z., Mehta, S., Stephany, C. & Karlin, M. (2023). Balancing Teacher Labor Demands: Between Critical Teacher Preparation EdTech Conversations and District Platformization Expectations. Paper accepted as part of the panel “Platformed Pedagogy: The work of teaching in the new Edtech landscape.” American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Karlin, M., Pandya J. Z. (2023). Increasing Capacity for K-12 Computer Science in High Need Areas: Investigating a Supplementary Authorization Program. Paper accepted at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference, Chicago, IL.

Karlin, M., Mehta, S., Babaie, M., Jhun, J., Stephany, C. (2023). Enacting Equity-Focused Technology Integration Practices in Preservice Coursework and Clinical Practice. Paper accepted at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Prottsman, K., Dorsey, R., Patel, S., Karlin, M. (2023) Enabling a Diverse Pipeline of K12 CS Educators. Invited panelist at Infosys Foundation's Annual CrossRoads Summit, Tempe, AZ.

SITE and ISTE

As part of the new Digital Equity and Transformation Network, SITE works in partnership with ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) and the US Department of Education to help our preservice educators build the skills needed to support student success in digital environments and create lasting changes in preparing new teachers.

SITE is housed within the College of Education on CSUDH's campus and we respectfully acknowledge that our work takes place on the land of the Tongva Peoples.