Increasing Access to Computer Science Education Through a Micro-Credential Program for In-Service Mathematics Teachers

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Computer Science Education: Identity, Access, and Preparation (Table 8)

Abstract

Opportunities to learn computer science (CS) are increasingly important for all students, and are related to student achievement in mathematics. However, pathways to earning a CS teaching certification are still relatively limited, especially for in-service teachers in underresourced schools. This study uses an experimental design to evaluate the impact of an online CS microcredentialing program for in-service mathematics teachers in elementary and middle schools in Kentucky. Preliminary results from two cohorts of teachers and their students suggest that participation in the program significantly increased teachers’ CS content knowledge and self-efficacy for CS instruction. Findings from this study can help to guide future efforts to develop microcredential programs that aim to support in-service teachers in pathways to CS certification.

Authors

• Eben Witherspoon, American Institutes for Research

• Margaret Nead, American Institutes for Research

• Andres Garcia Heredia, American Institutes for Research

• Dionisio Garcia-Piriz, American Institutes for Research

• Rachel Garrett, American Institutes for Research

• Jonas Xie, American Institutes for Research