Faculty Support for Computing and AI Integration in Teacher Preparation (Poster 5)

• In Event: Expansive Views on the Role of Computing and Digital Literacies in Teacher Education

Abstract

Summary
We present a three-year effort at Georgia State University to expand future teachers’ capacity for K-12 computing and AI education. Through two interconnected projects—the Faculty Fellows Program (FFP) and the MICRO grant project—we have refined approaches to support teacher educators in integrating computing and AI into their practices. These programs address the need to integrate computing and generative AI from the perspective of teacher educators (U.S. Department of Education, 2023).
The FFP fosters collaboration between disciplinary faculty and computer science (CS) education faculty to co-design and implement computing-integrated activities. Initially focused on digital literacy and computational thinking (CT), the program now includes AI integration, reflecting education faculty's growing interest in leveraging AI tools in teacher preparation courses. The MICRO project supports integrating existing computing and AI education resources into teacher preparation programs across states.
Objectives and significance
Our work aims to expand teacher educators’ and teachers’ capacity to address the urgent need for K-12 computing and AI education through:
Developing and refining approaches for faculty support in integrating computing and AI into teacher preparation programs, particularly those without dedicated CS faculty.
Understanding the impact of these support approaches on teacher educators' attitudes, knowledge, and teaching practices regarding technology integration.
Identifying challenges and opportunities in integrating new technologies into teacher education.
By empowering teacher educators, we can ensure that future teachers are equipped to foster computational and AI literacies in their students, preparing them for success in an increasingly technology-driven world. Our approach aligns with national calls to infuse technology across the teacher preparation curriculum and addresses the shortage of CS education faculty in colleges of education.

Theoretical framework
Our work is grounded in the TPACK framework (Mishra & Koehler, 2006), emphasizing the interconnectedness of technology, pedagogy, and content knowledge in effective teaching. We also draw on features of effective professional development (Darling-Hammond et al., 2017), including contextualized, customized, continuous support, to inform our approach to supporting teacher educators (Margulieux et al., 2024; Yadav et al., 2022).
Data and methods
We employ a mixed-methods approach, collecting and analyzing data in the FPP and MICRO project through:
Surveys: To assess changes in teacher educators' attitudes, knowledge, and self-efficacy related to technology integration.
Interviews: To gain an understanding of teacher educators' experiences, challenges, and successes in computing and AI integration.
Artifacts: To examine lesson plans, syllabi, and student work, assessing the impact of faculty support on teaching and learning outcomes.

Results
Preliminary results indicate our multi-faceted approach increases teacher educators' confidence and competence in technology integration. We have observed shifts in attitudes toward technology, increased knowledge of CT and AI, and the adoption of innovative pedagogical practices. We share how the rise of generative AI has influenced faculty engagement and our support strategies. Our work illuminates the potential of expanding the capacity of future teachers through education faculty development and offers a model for equitable computing and AI integration. By adapting to the evolving landscape, we empower teacher educators to prepare future teachers for the challenges and opportunities of the digital age.

Authors

• Yin-Chan Janet Liao, Georgia State University

• Lauren E. Margulieux, Georgia State University

• Ben Rydal Shapiro, Georgia State University

• Brendan D. Calandra, Georgia State University