Examining Educators’ Perceptions of Essential Design Principles for Integrated CT (Poster 8)

• In Event: Integrating Computational Thinking in K-12: Strategies for Elementary Education and Teacher Development

Abstract

Objectives:
With the goal of supporting teachers to develop computational thinking (CT) integrated lessons that transform and enhance subject-area learning with CT, we aim to identify design principles (lesson design elements and teaching practices) necessary for quality CT integrated lessons. This poster examines the perspectives of educators who are experienced in integrating CT around this goal and highlights design principles educators think are essential to create quality CT learning opportunities.

Background:
As CT has become increasingly prevalent in schools, so have calls for the integration of CT into subject-area learning and frameworks for this integration (Barr & Stephenson, 2011; Lee & Malyn-Smith, 2020; Mills et al., 2021; Weintrop et al., 2016). Yet, while frameworks highlight content alignments between subject-areas and CT, less is known about the lesson design elements and teaching practices that lead to a strong CT integrated lesson. Within computer science (CS) instruction, some such frameworks exist around singular topics or routines (Grover, 2020; Kapor Center, 2021; Madkins et al., 2020), but less is written focusing on CT integration.

Methods & Data Sources:
We examine data collected during a design session with seven experienced CS/CT educators (5+ years CS/CT teaching and/or supporting CS/CT at the district level; 6 female/women, 1 male/man) answering the research question: What are the crucial design elements and teaching practices experienced educators identify to construct and enact lessons integrating CT into subject-area teaching?. The design session had two parts: (1) individual brainstorming about an effective activity integrating CT and (2) group discussion about themes from the individual brainstorming. The session concluded with teachers taking an exit survey that explored how important teachers considered the design principles that arose during the session by having teachers rank the emergent themes.
Results:
Twelve themes arose from the individual brainstorming and group discussion:
Lesson design elements
-Intentionality in the design of CT activities
-Clear content connection with CT
-Scaffolding CT practices
-Making connections of CT practices to “real life”
-Engaging, authentic, and meaningful activities
-Multiple solutions and approaches when using CT
-Equity when engaging students with CT

Teaching practices
-Explicit use of CT vocabulary
-Use of digital tools that support the CT practice
-Opportunities for practice of CT
-Opportunities for students to share their thinking about CT practices
-Use of posters/hand-outs with CT practices and skills

Of these twelve themes, explicit use of CT vocabulary was most often ranked in educators’ top three most important design principles (6 instances) followed by intentionality in the design of CT activities (5 instances), engaging, authentic, and meaningful activities (3 instances), opportunities for practice of CT (3 instances), and making connections of CT practices to “real life” (2 instances).
Scholarly Significance:
As teachers are increasingly asked to integrate CT into their subject-area courses in alignment with district policies and state standards, it is important that they understand essential lesson design elements and teaching practices that will lead to high-quality learning opportunities for students. This work begins to compile these design principles by first considering the perspectives of educators.

Authors

• Merijke Coenraad, Digital Promise Global

• Kyle Dunbar, Michigan State University