CS10K: Fostering Assessment Literacy for Exploring Computer Science Teachers (FALECS)

Sri International, Menlo Park CA

Investigators

Abstract

SRI Education, a division of SRI International, in partnership with the American Institutes for Research (AIR), their CS10K Community, and Exploring Computer Science (ECS) teachers, is investigating the design and delivery of high-quality assessment literacy materials and sustainable, ongoing training as part of the existing ECS teacher professional development model. As reforms under President Obama's Computer Science for All initiative start to scale across the country, stakeholders will be looking for evidence of student learning. It is critical to prepare CS teachers to competently use assessment evidence to make valid inferences about student learning and to use these inferences to guide instructional decisions. This need is arguably even more acute with ECS, which is viewed as an introductory course to CS and is intended to engage and open doors for students who are traditionally underrepresented in CS degrees and careers. SRI has been partnering with ECS to develop and validate end-of-unit assessments measuring computational thinking practices, and to use those assessments as outcome measures in an implementation study to determine factors with the most impact on student success. This investigation advances this work by engaging 75 ECS teachers and 2200 students in investigating the impacts of innovative PD materials and training in a blended learning environment on teachers' assessment attitudes and practices. The project leverages existing partnerships and assessment materials, AIR's CS10K Community of Practice web site, and SRI's expertise creating and delivering high-quality professional development for STEM teachers. The results are the creation of innovative PD materials for supporting assessment literacy practices through adapting and applying an evidence-based methodology for modeling pedagogies of professional mathematics education practice. Learning and attitudinal measures are based on analysis of ECS teacher interview data and classroom assessment practices, while measures of implementation are adapted from studies in inquiry-oriented mathematics professional development and classrooms. Multiple methods to measure ECS teacher learning from professional development, implementation of assessment literacy practices in the classroom, and contextual and background variables are all utilized. From this data, the team conducts analyses to determine the impacts of the PD materials and activities on ECS teachers' attitudes and formative and summative assessment literacy practices. The project is guided by an advisory board with expertise in assessment, and CS education and professional development.