Making Sense of Coding and Robotics: Professional Learning With Elementary School Teachers

• In Event: Technology, Robotics, and Computational Thinking for Learning

Abstract

In this paper we described the process of four in-service elementary school teachers learning coding in a blended professional learning course developed and delivered through a federally funded research practice partnership project. We focused on the collective nature of learning and use activity theory (Engeström, 1999) to analyze connections among mediations, contradictions, and meaningful practices that were occurring for teachers in the course over time. The results showed that professional learning programs to support elementary teachers’ implementation of robotics and coding teaching and learning can systematically foster teachers’ collaboration in learning coding/robotics and developing lesson activities incorporating coding and robotics in meaningful ways in the day to day curriculum and teaching in their elementary classrooms.

Authors

• Tugba Boz, University of Georgia - Athens

• Martha A. Allexsaht-Snider, University of Georgia

• Roger B. Hill, University of Georgia - Athens

• Tim Foutz, University of Georgia - Athens