Using Standards-Based Professional Development to Support Middle School Computer Science Teachers (Poster 13)

• In Event: Thursday Poster Session 12:40 pm
  In Poster Session: Engineering and Computer Science Education Posters

Abstract

Standards can support curriculum quality and access to quality instruction. For standards to serve this function, teachers need to understand them deeply and consider them relevant to their teaching. Teacher professional development (PD) in computer science (CS), unlike many established disciplines, is typically curriculum-specific and helps teachers learn how to facilitate specific curricula. In this paper, we explore how an alternate standards-aligned PD model can support middle school CS teachers and empower them to use CS standards for instruction and formative assessments. Using a case study approach, we explored two teachers’ perceptions of the PD and its effects. Findings revealed that teachers did not initially view standards as essential to their teaching but eventually advocated for making standards-based PD compulsory.

Authors

• Arif Rachmatullah, SRI International

• Carol Tate, SRI Education

• Satabdi Basu, SRI International

• Daisy Wise Rutstein, edCount, LLC

• Hui Yang, SRI International

• Nonye M. Alozie, SRI International

• Christopher Ortiz, SRI International