When it comes to education, is the curriculum all that matters? Hazzan et al. emphasize that the success of Israeli high school computer science (CS) education is due to “more than just the curriculum itself.” They assert that its richness depends on connections between the curriculum and the teacher preparation programs, the requirement of a CS teaching license, and associated research in CS education.

Israel’s nationwide high school CS curriculum, as described in this paper, has many strengths. It has two tracks: a general track and a track for students with a specific interest in CS; both tracks emphasize algorithmic problem solving. Teachers are expected to have both a bachelor’s degree in CS and teacher preparation in CS.

The major contribution of this paper is its advocacy for an iterative educational research project to routinely accompany the development of new course material. The team developing the new material and the first teachers to try it participate jointly in educational research activities involving the new material. The lessons learned determine the form of the next edition of the material.

Most of the ideas in this paper are relevant for high school CS education in any country. Some of them are also relevant to CS education at the college level. Wherever you live, if you are interested in CS education, the ideas in this well-written paper are worth considering. I strongly recommend reading it and sharing it with your colleagues.