Facilitation as Assessment of Teachers' Computational Thinking Knowledge During Lesson Co-Design

• In Event: Diverse Modes of Facilitating Teacher Development

Abstract

In order to integrate computational thinking (CT) into K-12 instruction, teachers must develop the ability to operationalize CT practices into their classroom activities. Studies on teacher learning around CT often use summative assessments that neglect the process of applying CT knowledge to particular classroom contexts. We examine how professional development researchers leveraged a lesson co-design activity to enact different “facilitation moves” as an assessment strategy that provided insight into teachers’ CT operationalization process. Our findings demonstrate how a facilitation move allowed researchers to assess teachers’ conceptual understanding of CT in a contextualized way that elicited insight teachers’ CT conceptualizations unlikely to be captured in summative assessments. We discuss implications for PD designers, teacher educators, and facilitators of CT teacher learning.

Authors

• Lautaro Cabrera, University of Maryland - College Park

• Virginia Byrne, Morgan State University

• Heather Killen, University of Maryland - College Park

• Merijke Coenraad, University of Maryland - College Park

• Diane Jass Ketelhut, University of Maryland - College Park

• Jandelyn Plane, University of Maryland - College Park