Prioritizing Computer Science Instruction in Low-Income Communities With In-Service Teachers

• In Event: Teacher Preparation for Computing: A State of Affairs

Abstract

Objective
The objective of this presentation will be to share how Teach For America (TFA) and Exploring Computer Science (ECS) have collaborated to prepare and support teacher leaders to teach ECS and advocate for computing opportunities in communities with students whose identities are historically underrepresented in CS.

We examined the following questions:
1. How does the TFA-ECS teacher recruitment and development model influence teacher capacity and leadership in CS?
2. How do CS teachers facilitate equity?
3. What barriers prevent CS in low-income high schools?

Theoretical framework
The project hopes to prepare teachers to teach and advocate for CS. TFA coaches work with teachers to help them advocate for CS, providing them with differentiated supports based on their school contexts. Through ECS professional development (PD) (see Figure 1), teachers develop CS pedagogical content knowledge (Shulman, 1986). CS PCK requires content knowledge and representing CS to make it comprehensible to students (pedagogy), and also focus on inquiry and equity.

Figure 1. ECS Professional Development Timeline


Methods
Since the project’s inception, researchers have interviewed teachers and school administrators, observed summer PD, and surveyed teachers at two time points each year. Early surveys and interviews focus on teacher preparation prior to and during the professional development, as well as confidence to teach and be a leader for CS in their schools. Later data collection, carried out near the end of the first year teaching the course, focused on student performance in the ECS course, barriers and obstacles to offering ECS in their schools, and changes to their confidence in teaching and leading CS in their schools following their experience.

Results
The first cohort of teachers completed their first year of ECS teaching and the second cohort has been identified. Preliminary results show that out of the 60 teachers who initially applied to the program, 50 teachers were able to gain some level of support from their school administration. Fifteen teachers offered at least one year-long ECS section. Another 3 teachers adapted the course as an integrated model or after school program. In terms of equity, teachers reported actively reported recruiting underrepresented students to their classroom. Based on interviews, teachers reported that the portion of underrepresented students aligned with the overall demographics of the school. Teachers have reported that barriers preventing the prioritization of CS have included staff capacity and technology resource issues.

Significance of the study
“CSforAll” represents a monumental opportunity to ensure that all students receive access to high quality CS education. While access to CS education is increasing across the U.S., the percentage of low-income, female, Black, and Latinx students with access to CS courses is still lagging behind (Change the Equation, 2017; Google, 2016). To address this issue, we must ensure that schools serving those populations have teachers prepared to teach CS, as well as act as change agents who successfully advocate for broader access in their communities (Moritz & Wilson, 2015).

Authors

• Cullen White, Teach For America, Inc.

• Carol Tate, SRI International

• Julie Remold, SRI International