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Despite the increasing attention to infusing CT into middle and high school content area classrooms, there is a lack of information about the most effective practices and models to support teachers in their efforts to integrate disciplinary content and CT principles. To address this need, this paper proposes the Code, Connect and Create (3C) professional development (PD) model, which was designed to support middle and high school content area teachers in infusing computational thinking into their classrooms. To evaluate the model, we analyzed quantitative and qualitative data collected from Infusing Computing PD workshops designed for in-service science, math, English language arts, and social studies teachers located in two Southeastern states. Drawing on findings from our analysis of teacher-created learning segments, surveys, and interviews, we argue that the 3C professional development model supported shifts in teacher understandings of the role of computational thinking in content area classrooms, as well as their self-efficacy and beliefs regarding CT integration into disciplinary content. We conclude by offering implications for the use of this model to increase teacher and student access to computational thinking practices in middle and high school classrooms.
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Scaffolding pedagogical change: Professional development to support elementary teachers in implementing mobile maker kits
The purpose of this paper is to describe findings from a study in which we investigated a gradual increase of responsibility model to scaffold a 1st and a 3rd grade teacher as they integrated interdisciplinary, standards-based Mobile Maker Kits into their classrooms over the course of an academic year. Qualitative discourse and multimodal analysis techniques were used to investigate teacher practices and beliefs related to the integration of the kits, which included lesson plans linking all activities and materials (e.g., picture books, craft materials, tablets, 3D printers, circuits and other electronic materials) to ELA, science, math, and social studies standards. Findings identify the affordances and constraints of a gradual increase of responsibility model for supporting teachers. We conclude by offering implications for supporting the integration of Making practices into P-12 classrooms.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1723661
- PAR ID:
- 10196668
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Proceedings of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference 2019
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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National and many state standards require elementary teachers to teach engineering in their classrooms. However, incorporating engineering into elementary engineering classrooms has not been a standard practice, thus emphasizing the need for teachers to be provided with training, resources, and support for the vision of instruction described in the standards to become a reality. Administrators are responsible for making decisions regarding teacher training and support. In response, we explored the perceptions of division and building-level administrators throughout Virginia regarding the current state of elementary engineering education and what they perceive as barriers to their teachers engaging students in lessons that incorporate engineering practices. Our data comes from 11 questions from a multiple-choice and open-ended response survey, which was analyzed using a mixed-method approach. Findings describe incoherence between what administrators perceive as the current state of engineering education, the barriers to teachers engaging their students in engineering, and what supports are being provided to teachers. These findings have implications for professional development design and implementation.more » « less
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