Building Computational Thinking (CT) Readiness for All: A Planning Tool for Guiding the School-Wide Integration of CT (Poster 6)

• In Event: Moving Toward Just and Equitable Access to Computing Education

Abstract

Objectives
This poster will describe results from a pilot study of a framework for school-wide integration of computational thinking (CT) across subject areas. The framework supports increased access to computer science (CS) at the elementary level through sustained and intentional school-wide efforts to develop learners’ CT competencies.

Theoretical Framework
It is widely acknowledged that students should have access to computational thinking (CT) beginning in kindergarten, with opportunities to apply CT across subjects (Barr & Stephenson, 2011; Grover & Pea, 2018). Yet, in elementary schools, CT instruction tends to be implemented sporadically, if at all, limiting efforts to ensure that all students are exposed to high-quality CT learning opportunities. Factors contributing to this include a lack of knowledge about how to integrate CT and the types of training and support needed to do so (DeLyser et al., 2020); a shortage of teachers who can teach CS and limited opportunities to develop their capacity (Garrigan, 2019); a lack of administrative support and infrastructure to sustain CT integration efforts (DeLyser et al., 2020); and a dearth of instructional materials and assessments that are appropriate for elementary students (Sherwood, 2020; Villavicencio et al., 2018). These issues exacerbate inequalities and perpetuate underrepresentation of specific groups of students, particularly Black and Latinx students, who have far fewer CT learning opportunities than their White and Asian peers (Google and Gallup, 2016).

To address these needs, we created and pilot tested the CT Integration Framework, a process, and a set of tools to help administrators and educators design and implement a plan for school-wide integration of CT (Sherwood et al., 2020). The resulting framework (Sherwood et al., 2020), designed to be used in an improvement science context, identifies elements that are hypothesized or have been found to influence school-wide CT integration (Nilsen 2015, p. 4).

Data and Methods
To pilot test the framework, we worked with 12 teachers and four administrators at three elementary schools, providing a full-day workshop covering how to use the framework to evaluate the school’s readiness, guide the creation and implementation of a plan for integrating CT school-wide, and assess progress. Participants completed a pre- and post-survey and a lesson log; they also participated in a semi-structured interview upon completion of the pilot period.

Results
Participating school teams found the self-assessment tool vital for guiding their CT integration planning. Using the CT Integration Framework with school leadership resulted in documenting and clearly defining the leadership vision of CT. It also helped to ensure that the schools established necessary structural supports for integration, particularly scheduling time for professional development and teacher collaborative planning time. The tool helped schools prioritize their initial areas of focus and determine a timeline for expanding their efforts.

Significance
This research makes important contributions to the knowledge base and conceptual frameworks about effective strategies for expanding access to CS among Black and Latinx students and about approaches to school-wide CS and CT integration. This work informs school- and district-level decisions, practices, and approaches to implementing CS and CT in elementary schools.

Authors

• Heather Sherwood, Education Development Center, Inc.

• Cheri Fancsali, Research Alliance for New York City Schools

• Babette Moeller, Education Development Center, Inc.