Nextech
Overview
As technology reshapes nearly every industry, ensuring students are prepared for a rapidly changing future has become both an urgent challenge and a powerful opportunity. In Indiana, computer science education sits at the center of that moment. Nextech recognized that expanding access alone wasn’t enough; meaningful impact would require rethinking how students experience computer science, how educators are supported, and how employers engage in building the talent pipeline.
SmallBox partnered with Nextech to develop a human-centered, statewide Strategic Direction for computer science education, one grounded in lived experience, shaped by collaboration, and designed to create lasting systems-level change. Together, we worked to align students, educators, employers, and policymakers around a shared vision: preparing every Indiana student not just to participate in a tech-enabled world, but to thrive in it.
Our Approach
SmallBox partnered with Nextech on an eight-month, statewide engagement involving more than 80 students, educators, workforce leaders, and tech employers. We worked through five phases—Discover, Engage, Synthesize, Co-Create, and Refine—to deeply understand the current student experience and identify what needed to change.
We began with statewide convening of CS education and tech stakeholders to ask one powerful question:
What needs to change about the current state of computer science education in Indiana to prepare students for the future?
From there, we conducted focus groups, interviews, and surveys to uncover challenges, opportunities, and aspirations. We spoke with CS educators, employers, higher ed leaders, and workforce development experts. Most importantly, we spoke with students – elevating their voice to be central in the strategic path forward.
SmallBox quickly became an extension of our team. They helped us elevate the voices of students, educators, and community partners—transforming complexity into a clear, actionable strategy. Today, they remain a trusted partner to Nextech, not only in shaping our strategic direction but also in driving its implementation.
- Karen Jung, President of Nextech
The Solution
The result was Nextech’s Strategic Direction, anchored by a bold vision:
All Indiana high school students will learn the essential CS skills to thrive in a tech-enabled world—and those who wish to persist toward postsecondary degrees or careers in the CS field will have the opportunities and confidence to pursue them.
To bring this vision to life, we helped Nextech define five Areas of Impact—from equitable access to advanced opportunities—and six Activations, the mechanisms for change that will transform CS education statewide:
A pivotal moment in the process was the Explore Workshop, where we reconvened Community Ambassadors to co-create bold intervention ideas. In a highly collaborative, hands-on session, stakeholders from across computer science, tech, and education—students, teachers, and employers—worked side-by-side to generate a wide spectrum of ideas before honing in on the most promising. This workshop not only shaped the six Activations, but built shared ownership among the very people who will make them succeed.
To bring this vision to life, we helped Nextech define five Areas of Impact—from equitable access to advanced opportunities—and six Activations, the mechanisms for change that will transform CS education statewide:
A pivotal moment in the process was the Explore Workshop, where we reconvened Community Ambassadors to co-create bold intervention ideas. In a highly collaborative, hands-on session, stakeholders from across computer science, tech, and education—students, teachers, and employers—worked side-by-side to generate a wide spectrum of ideas before honing in on the most promising. This workshop not only shaped the six Activations, but built shared ownership among the very people who will make them succeed.
The Impact
The Strategic Direction now serves as Nextech’s roadmap for the years ahead—aligning partners, guiding investments, and inspiring statewide action. It is already influencing policy conversations, educator support, and employer engagement, with implementation underway in partnership with SmallBox through:
- Pilot Programs to test and refine key Activations.
- Resource Development including a new online library of CS teaching tools.