Analyzing the Impacts of a Diverse Research Team in Computer Integrated Teacher Education

• In Event: Walking the Walk and Changing the Talk: Teacher Educators and Teacher Candidates Co-Constructing CTDEL (Computational Thinking and Digital Equitable Literacies) Practices

Abstract

Objectives
This study examines experiences of a diverse faculty research team in a Teacher Education department, which developed programmatic learning outcomes and designed computing experiences to transform teacher candidates from novices to effective practitioners. The primary objective is to understand how the 14-member faculty team's composition affects collaboration, research outcomes, and individual growth in supporting NYC's Computer Science for All program. Faculty's diversity included six languages, cultural/ethnic origins, and many variances in teaching and learning styles.
Theoretical Framework
This study is anchored in Critical Digital Pedagogy (Morris & Stommel, 2022), integrating Computational Thinking (CT) across disciplines with a social justice focus. It is therefore grounded in the intersection of teacher education, computing integration, and collaborative research methodologies. It draws on theories of social justice in education, diverse team dynamics, and distributed leadership (Hejres, et. al, 2017) to explore how varied backgrounds and expertise influence research processes and outcomes in educational technology initiatives.
Methods
This phenomenological study utilized semi-structured interviews, artifact analysis, participant reflective journaling, and group discussions. Data were analyzed through thematic coding to explore participants' lived experiences of collaborative research. This approach facilitated a deep understanding of individual perspectives, team interactions, and research process evolution (Smith, et.al, 2022).
Data Sources
Data sources include: transcripts from interviews with nine faculty members (four full-time, five part-time); research outputs produced by the team; personal reflections and journals of fourteen team members; meeting minutes and collaborative documents, and project materials developed for teacher education classes.

Results
Findings indicate that the diverse backgrounds of team members have enriched the study and enhanced individual technological expertise. Our collaboration has led to a cohesive departmental curriculum, mutual learning and professional growth, and synergistic impacts on students. Challenges include logistical issues, ensuring equal voice representation, the time commitment required of distributed leadership, and navigating varying levels of research experience.
However, the team's diversity has positively influenced research outcomes, potentially leading to more comprehensive and nuanced findings. Indeed participation in the research team has deepened faculty members' understanding of social justice issues in educational technology, shaping instructional decisions and program planning.

Scholarly Significance
This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on the impact of diverse research teams in educational technology initiatives. It gives strategies for effective collaboration in mixed-expertise groups and supports the role of collaborative research in professional development for teacher educators.
Additionally, it highlights the value of multidisciplinary collaboration among higher education faculty, potentially serving as a model for Teacher Candidates (TCs) in creating an inclusive and varied teaching approach. By exemplifying the equitable consideration of diverse perspectives within teaching teams, this study may enhance TCs' capacity to contribute multifaceted viewpoints to their professional practice. Consequently, this approach could enrich the educational experiences of future students by integrating a broader range of pedagogical strategies and insights.
By examining the process and outcomes of this unique research team, the study provides valuable insights for institutions seeking to implement similar initiatives and for researchers interested in maximizing the benefits of diverse collaborative teams in educational research.

Authors

• Sherone A. Smith-Sanchez, Molloy University

• Leslie Keiler, York College - CUNY