Computational Thinking (CT) in Elementary Education: A Framework to Develop a CT Language Road Map

• In Event: Teacher Development of Computational Thinking and Computer Science

Abstract

Increasingly, computational thinking practices are being included in elementary learning standards. Our research team seeks to develop a research-based model for preservice teacher education that supports elementary education teachers in building an understanding of CT knowledge for integrating CT into their teaching practice. This specific work presents the CT framework our team developed, traces our language choices as we developed and refined our framework, and takes the first steps toward understanding how the words we use to present CT practices are reflected in the language participants use to operationalize CT. We hope this foundational work will allow us to build a CT language roadmap that can guide informed decisions about language choice when presenting CT practices.

Authors

• Heather Killen, University of Maryland - College Park

• Kelly Mills, Digital Promise Global

• Lautaro Cabrera, University of Maryland - College Park

• Merijke Coenraad, University of Maryland - College Park

• Diane Jass Ketelhut, University of Maryland - College Park

• J. Randy McGinnis, University of Maryland

• Jandelyn Plane, University of Maryland - College Park