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1. Developing pre-service elementary teacher’s computational thinking knowledge through coding and mathematics pedagogy

   Gleasman, Cory; Kim, ChanMin (January 2020, Research highlights in technology and teacher education 2020)

   Gibson, D. C.; Ochoa, M. N.; Christensen, R.; Cohen, J.; Crawford, D.; Graziano, K.; Langran, E.; Langub, L.; Rutledge, D.; Voogt, J. (Ed.)

   As computer science education standards are disseminated to K-12 school districts nationally, teacher education programs are left with the challenge of ensuring pre-service teachers are prepared to enter their first classroom with the skills and knowledge necessary to align instruction with the new standards. This paper examines the use of a learning intervention called “Block-Based Coding and Computational Thinking for Conceptual Mathematics” (B2C3Math) that aimed to help pre-service teachers majoring in early childhood and elementary education learn and apply computational thinking concepts to their elementary mathematics teaching. Ten pre-service teachers all at the same stage in their teacher preparation program participated in this convergent mixed-methods study. A focus of the research was placed on how participant’s computational thinking knowledge changed following the implementation of B2C3Math. Findings suggest that there were changes in the participants’ views of computational thinking application to elementary mathematics teaching following the implementation of B2C3Math. Implications for research and instructional practices using B2C3Math for teacher education are discussed. 

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2. Preservice Teacher Learning During a Structured Computational Thinking Field Experience

   https://doi.org/10.70725/111369rmieuq  

   Tank, Kristina; Moore, Tamara; Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Anne; Yang, Sohheon; Wafula, Zarina; Chu, Lin (January 2025, Journal of Technology and Teacher Education)

   This paper explores the experiences and learning outcomes of preservice elementary teachers (PSTs) as they integrate computational thinking (CT) into their teaching practices during a structured field experience. Through a qualitative content analysis of video reflections from 27 PSTs, the study examines how teaching CT lessons to K-2 students enhances the PSTs’ understanding of CT and their pedagogical skills. The field experience, which involved hands-on activities using ScratchJr and Tale-Bot, revealed several key themes: the importance of hands-on learning for student engagement, the benefits of empowering students to take an active role in their learning, the necessity of balancing teacher guidance with student independence, and the development of PSTs’ confidence in implementing CT activities. The findings suggest that structured field experiences play a crucial role in preparing PSTs to effectively integrate CT into elementary education, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. The study emphasizes the need for teacher preparation programs to incorporate real-world teaching opportunities to foster PSTs' confidence and adaptability in teaching CT, thus equipping them to meet the demands of 21st-century classrooms. 

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3. Researching How Physics Technology in an Elementary Mathematics Methods Course Impacted Preservice Teachers’ Efficacy

   Kurz, T.L.; Meltzer, D.E.; Nation, M. (October 2022, Proceedings of SITE Interactive Conference)

   L. Langran & D. Henriksen (Ed.)

   Preservice elementary teachers generally have little background in physics or physics education. Five weeks of content using technology (motion sensors and data loggers) was integrated across seven courses taught by three different instructors. Data were gathered from preservice teachers (n = 193) using the Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument at a large public Hispanic Serving Institution in the southwest United States. Results showed statistically significant improvements in the Personal Mathematics Teaching Efficacy subscale, but not in the Mathematics Teaching Outcome Expectancy subscale. 

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4. Professional knowledge building within an elementary teacher professional development experience on computational thinking in science education

   Hestness, E; Ketelhut, D. J.; McGinnis, J. R.; Plane, J. (January 2018, Journal of technology and teacher education)

   Abstract. We investigated teacher learning within a professional development (PD) workshop series on computational thinking (CT) for elementary-level mentor teachers. The purpose of the PD was to prepare mentor teachers to support preservice teachers in integrating CT into their classroom practice, toward the broader goal of advancing CT for all in the early grades. We examined the ways in which participants collaboratively built on existing professional knowledge as they engaged in professional learning activities designed to introduce CT and related pedagogies for elementary science education. Our data sources were field notes, artifacts, drawings, written reflections, and focus group interviews. We describe how participants developed new understandings of CT integration and made connections to existing professional knowledge of their students, their curriculum, and their school contexts. We discuss implications for teacher learning and PD design relevant to CT, and make recommendations for future research. 

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5. A Course-Based Teaching Experience for STEM Undergraduates Improves Student Perceptions of Teaching Self-Efficacy and Attitudes Toward Teaching Careers

   https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.21-04-0105  

   Bush, Seth; Calloway, Ashley; Bush, Emily; Himelblau, Ed (March 2022, CBE—Life Sciences Education)

   Couch, Brian (Ed.)

   There is a national need to recruit more science teachers. Enhancing pathways to teaching for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors could help to address this need. The Learn By Doing Lab is a course in which STEM undergraduates teach hands-on life science and physical science to local third- through eighth-grade schoolchildren visiting the campus. To measure the impacts of this teaching experience on the undergraduate participants, we administered a version of the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument-Preservice survey at the start and end of the course. Significant gains were observed in the students’ belief in their personal ability to effectively teach science (self-efficacy). Furthermore, qualitative and quantitative analysis of student reflections revealed that they perceived the Learn By Doing Lab experience to have helped them develop 21st-century competencies, particularly in the areas of collaboration, communication, and adaptability. Finally, the students’ overall awareness and positive perception of science teaching careers increased. This indicates that providing a low-barrier course-based teaching experience for STEM undergraduates is a promising strategy to help recruit pre-service teachers, and a step toward alleviating the national STEM teacher shortage. 

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