Collaborative Research: Modeling inclusive computational thinking instruction: Video cases for developing teacher knowledge

Digital Promise Global, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

As computational thinking (CT) has become a prevalent strategy to introduce computational tools and practices to learners elementary classrooms, there are calls to support teachers to embed it in their core instruction (i.e., math, science, and language arts). To do this requires high quality professional development that introduces CT to teachers and demonstrates how they can use it to support teaching and learning within their curricular and pedagogical contexts. This project uses an innovative video-based professional learning model to build elementary teachers' capacity for CT integration. Central to this model of professional development (PD) is a library of vetted cases that combine exemplary videos of CT integrated lessons with guided observations and reflections to prepare elementary teachers to integrate CT within their own instruction. Michigan State University and national non-profit Digital Promise are partnering with urban and rural school districts in both Michigan and Maryland to bring this professional learning to teachers and support them to develop and teach CT-integrated lessons. This project has three main objectives: (1) develop a PD approach using a library of vetted video cases to develop elementary teacher competencies in CT integration; (2) examine the influence of PD with video-cases on elementary teachers' knowledge and practice; and (3) investigate the expansion of CT integration in core subject lessons and its influence on students' computing identity and learning within core subjects. Working in a research practice partnership (RPP), researchers collaborate with educators from across four school districts to co-design both the video case library and professional development. The districts include 86 elementary schools in Michigan and 13 elementary schools in Maryland, with varying demographics. Initially the project enlists between 5 and 10 exemplary teachers for video recording and PD development, and expands to about twice that number in year 2 for a user study. Subsequently, a larger number of teachers across the districts will be involved. The project is framed through Design-Based Implementation Research to guide the research. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the project examines the influence of this professional development on elementary teachers' understanding of CT, capacity to notice pedagogical practices related to CT integration, including computing pedagogies, and application of these practices during the subsequent planning and implementation of CT integrated lessons. Finally, the project investigates whether integration of CT positively impacts students' computing identity and learning gains within core subjects. This project is supported by the CS for All: Research and RPPs program. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.