New Orleans in July is not for the faint of heart. But the heat outside was matched by the energy inside the convention center, where CS educators from around the country gathered for the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) 2026 conference. Through a generous grant from the Offline Internet Consortium, I represented App Dev for All (ADFA) at the conference, and I came home with plenty to think about.
Throughout the sessions, hallway catch-ups, and conversations over coffee, three defining themes kept surfacing: the accelerating integration of AI in CS instruction, the newly released CSTA PreK–12 standards update, and an ongoing reckoning with equity and access. Because ADFA’s mission centers on lowering barriers to software development, every single one of those conversations felt deeply personal.
AI in the classroom: From topic to tool
A year or two ago, discussions of AI at a CS education conference meant “What should we teach students about AI?” This year, it also meant “How are students using AI while they learn to code, and how do we teach with that reality instead of against it?”
The updated CSTA PreK-12 standards reflect this evolution. AI literacy is deeply woven into the new framework, and the expectation is growing that students will use AI tools (responsibly, ethically, and within intentional guardrails) as a standard part of their CS education.
This shift impacts us directly. Code on the Go (CoGo™) already features generative AI coding assistance as an optional plugin. A learner using CoGo on their phone can write code, get real-time feedback, debug errors, and iterate, all in the same device where they build and run their app. As we further develop our AI plugin, it’s a priority to ensure that it’s aligned with CS instruction standards.
Equity and access: The conversation that would not leave the room
Equity was a common thread throughout the conference. Who is being reached by CS education, and who is not? What structural barriers are keeping students out, and how do we dismantle them?
Most educational tools are built on the assumption: that every student has access to dedicated laptop and high-speed internet. While it is true that most US schools provide an on-campus device for every student, the equity vanishes outside school grounds, where many students lack a computer or reliable internet at home. In many communities, a smartphone isn’t a secondary gadget; it is the only personal computer a student can access.
App Dev for All’s mission is to make computer science education resources available everywhere. CoGo is a full Android integrated development environment (IDE) that runs entirely on an Android phone and requires no internet access. Knowledge to Go (K2Go™) will turn an Android phone into an offline educational content server, making CoGo and a vast range of content available to learners who can’t access the internet. Together, these tools support ADFA’s conviction that anyone should be able to learn to build Android apps, anywhere.
Lowering one barrier reveals the next one
While putting CoGo on a learner’s phone removes a hardware barrier, it doesn’t automatically dismantle the knowledge barriers that every new coder faces. A student holding a phone with CoGo installed still has to navigate the steep learning curves of writing Java or Kotlin code, designing a user interface, and building, debugging, and testing their apps.
AI assistance inside CoGo can help. It can break down what a specific block of code does, suggest immediate fixes, and help students unpack the logic behind their builds. But AI is a companion, not a curriculum, and we won’t pretend otherwise.
This year’s CSTA conference reinforced a critical truth: Solving the hardware crisis is only half the battle. Overcoming the knowledge barrier requires human support; intentional, scaffolded instruction; and robust teacher preparation. We are thinking deeply about the educational frameworks, lesson plans, and teacher resources that must accompany CoGo to make it transformative for new learners, not just technically accessible on a screen.
If you are an educator working on this problem, we would love to collaborate and hear your thoughts.
From consumers to creators
Digital citizenship has historically been framed around responsible use—knowing how to stay safe, evaluate sources, and behave online. While these skills remain essential, the 2026 CSTA conference expands the definition. Full participation in digital life means being able to create, not just consume. It means building apps, not just downloading them.
Something powerful happens when new coders build a working Android app on their own phones. They transcend being technology users and become technology creators. Both ADFA and the CS education community are deeply committed to drive that shift.
If you are currently bringing Android development into your classroom or even just thinking about it, we want to hear from you!
