Equity in Action: Reimagining Teacher Preparation for Culturally Sustaining Computational Thinking in STEM

• In Event: Culturally Sustaining Pedagogies in Mathematics Education: Constructing a New Vision for Research and Classroom Practices

Abstract

Objectives and Purposes
This study examines how an urban teacher residency program prepares high school mathematics teachers to integrate Computational Thinking (CT) through equity-focused and culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogies. The research investigates how preservice teachers' mindsets and dispositions toward equity shape their understanding of and approach to CT integration in diverse urban classrooms, addressing a significant gap in understanding how teacher preparation programs can foster socially just approaches to CT in mathematics education.

Theoretical Framework
The study is grounded in Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Pedagogy (CRSP) framework and employs a "CT for Equity" conceptual model that positions computational thinking as a tool for fostering social justice rather than merely technical skill development. This framework emphasizes validating students' cultural identities, lived experiences, and community knowledge while developing critical consciousness about computing and society.

Methods and Data Sources
Using qualitative thematic content analysis, the study analyzed multiple data sources from two preservice teachers in their second year of an urban teacher residency program. Data included: (1) semi-structured artifact-based interviews where teachers discussed self-designed CT-integrated mathematics lesson plans; (2) positionality statements reflecting on how personal identities and experiences shape their teaching; and (3) philosophy of education statements articulating core values about equity and social justice in mathematics education. Analysis employed both inductive and deductive coding approaches to identify patterns in teachers' asset-based mindsets, dispositions, and culturally responsive CT integration practices.

Results and Conclusions
Our analysis revealed that preservice teachers integrated CT for equity through three key approaches. First, they explicitly incorporated CT practices, such as data analysis, into lessons that addressed social justice issues, with the aim of making the content relevant to students' lived experiences. Second, they employed asset-based adaptations, using students' cultural strengths and community knowledge to design engaging CT activities, like solving local problems. Lastly, ongoing reflective practices enabled the TRs to recognize their biases and adjust their teaching to include diverse perspectives, supporting more inclusive and equity-focused CT integration. These findings suggest that emphasizing EABD in teacher preparation can enhance culturally relevant-sustaining CT integration in STEM education.

Scientific and Scholarly Significance
This research contributes empirical evidence to the limited literature on equity-centered CT integration in mathematics education, particularly at the high school level where research has been scarce. The study provides concrete examples of how teacher preparation programs can develop educators' capacity for culturally responsive CT integration, offering practical insights for teacher education program design. By examining the intersection of teachers' asset-based mindsets and CT pedagogical practices, this work advances understanding of how to prepare teachers who can leverage CT as a tool for educational equity rather than perpetuating existing inequities in mathematics education. The findings have implications for supporting diverse student populations' engagement and success in increasingly CT-integrated mathematics curricula.

Authors

• Wei Wei, University of California - Los Angeles

• Kimberley Gomez, University of California - Los Angeles

• Jesse Ha, Montclair State University

• Anuradha Ghosh, Montclair State University