Teacher Professional Development Approaches Supporting Computational Thinking Integration in Language Arts/Social Studies/Arts (Poster 7)

• In Event: Computational Thinking in Humanities

Abstract

​​Objectives
In this poster, we report on a teacher professional development (TPD) that aimed to increase middle school Social Studies (SS), Arts, and Language Arts (LA) teachers’ capacity to engage in enhanced disciplinary teaching via computational thinking (CT) and make sense of CT integration opportunities within their teaching context.

Background
Growing interest in integrating CT across different disciplines in K-12 requires significant efforts on TPD tied to teachers’ curricular and pedagogical needs (Ketelhut et al., 2020). The existing research on TPD in computing largely involves short-term workshops with limited follow-up activities (Yadav et al., 2017). We used conjecture mapping to design TPD that provides continuous support through five days knowledge building sessions, individual check-in meetings with teachers, lesson co-design with CT experts, and follow up meetings with teachers as needed.

Methods
Participants included middle school SS, Arts, and ELA teachers. Data sources included TPD video recordings, semi-structured interviews, pre- and post-surveys, and lesson progression design documents. Data analysis process included open coding of these data sources (Saldaña, 2015) to inform our design.

Initial conjecture map and first implementation
We developed a map based on the high-level conjecture that teachers require scaffolds and design-based TPD opportunities to engage in enhanced disciplinary teaching via CT and make sense of CT integration opportunities within their institutional context. To achieve these, embodiments included:
Building blocks – self-paced resources to build an understanding of CT and CT integration pathways
CT integration pathways and associated practices with high level examples - make connection between CT and SS, Arts, and LA
Professional development
Lesson co-design with experts - model what CT integration can look like in SS, Arts, and LA.

First implementation
Eight teachers participated in the first iteration. The overall results showed that TPD supported teachers to achieve the intended outcomes. The results also highlighted a need for (a) more collaborative activities; (b) additional resources related to computational tools; and (c) concrete examples of application of CT integration practices in the classroom.
Revised conjecture map and second implementation
Based on the initial results of the first iteration, revisions and additional embodiments included
Professional development – additional collaborative activities where teachers work together to design CT-integrated units using CT integration practices
CT integration pathways and associated practices – additional resources with a description of each pathway including how it looks in practice and CT integration practices with high-level examples
Remixable unit planning resources – to be used as an inspiration, remix by customizing the content, and/or make adaptations to design CT-integrated unit
Inspiration library – a repository of resources that address CT, CT tools, CT integration ideas, and/or curricular resources.
Eleven teachers participated in the second iteration. The overall results showed that TPD helped teachers conceptualize CT, envision concrete applications of CT practices to their teaching, and design CT-integrated units. Teachers also noted that they established future collaborations with other teachers to co-design CT-integrated units.

Scholarly Significance
The conjecture map resulting from this process advances our understanding of TPD around CT integration in terms of the teaching and learning approaches used in TPD.

Authors

• Secil Caskurlu, Florida State University
  Presenting Author

• Aman Yadav, Michigan State University
  Presenting Author

• Rafi Santo, Telos Learning LLC
  Presenting Author