Cultivating Humanizing Pedagogies: Nurturing Teachers' Implementation of Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education in Computer Science

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 3:45 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Justice by Design: Humanizing STEM Education Through Equity, Culture, and Teacher Development

Abstract

This study examines teachers' cultivation of culturally responsive-sustaining education (CR-SE) in computer science classrooms, fostering equity-focused pedagogies within a large urban district. Using a validated survey measuring five CR-SE components—teacher attitudes, knowledge, pedagogical practices, learning environment, and curriculum design—we found that teachers express confidence in their CR-SE abilities and demonstrate solid knowledge of equity issues, yet their actual implementation of more complex culturally responsive practices was somewhat limited. Findings suggest that while teachers understand CR-SE concepts, translating them into practice requires targeted professional development focusing on skill development. By examining how educators enact equity-focused pedagogies, this work contributes to unforgetting the experiences of students who have been excluded from computing education, while imagining new possibilities for more humanizing CS instruction.

Authors

• Cheri Fancsali, Research Alliance for New York City Schools

• Kathryn Hill, Research Alliance for New York City Schools

• Alexandra Adair, The College Board