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1. From Professional Development to Pedagogy: Examining How Computer Science Teachers Conceptualize and Apply Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

   Codding, D.; Alkhateeb, B.; Mouza, C; Pollock, L. (January 2021, Journal of technology and teacher education)

   The field of computer science continues to lack diverse representation from women and racially minoritized individuals. One way to address the discrepancies in representation is through systematic changes in computer science education from a young age. Pedagogical and instructional changes are needed to promote meaningful and equitable learning that engages students with rigorous and inclusive curricula. We developed an equity-focused professional development program for teachers that promotes culturally responsive pedagogy in the context of computer science education. This study provides an overview of our culturally responsive framework and a qualitative examination of how teachers (n=9) conceptualized and applied culturally responsive pedagogy in their classrooms. Drawing from grounded theory and lesson assessment rubrics, we developed a codebook to analyze teacher interviews, lesson plans, and questionnaire responses. Findings revealed that, following their participation in professional development, teachers were consistently planning to implement a wide range of culturally responsive instructional and pedagogical practices capable of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in computer science education. 

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2. From professional development to pedagogy: An examination of computer science teachers’ culturally responsive instructional practices

   Codding, D.; Alkhateeb, B.; Mouza, C.; Pollock, L. (January 2021, Journal of technology and teacher education)

   The field of computer science continues to lack diverse representation from women and racially minoritized individuals. One way to address the discrepancies in representation is through systematic changes in computer science education from a young age. Pedagogical and instructional changes are needed to promote meaningful and equitable learning that engages students with rigorous and inclusive curricula. We developed an equity-focused professional development program for teachers that promotes culturally responsive pedagogy in the context of computer science education. This study provides an overview of our culturally responsive framework and a qualitative examination of how teachers (n=9) conceptualized and applied culturally responsive pedagogy in their classrooms. Drawing from grounded theory and lesson assessment rubrics, we developed a codebook to analyze teacher interviews, lesson plans, and questionnaire responses. Findings revealed that, following their participation in professional development, teachers were consistently planning to implement a wide range of culturally responsive instructional and pedagogical practices capable of promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in computer science education. 

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3. Culturally responsive and equity-focused computer science professional development.

   Codding, D.; Mouza, C; Pollock, L; Sheridan, S. (January 2019, Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education)

   The field of computer science continues to lack diversity, which has led to new efforts toward increasing access to computer science among all students. In order to address the underrepresentation of minoritized youth in computer science, we developed and delivered a culturally responsive and equityfocused computer science professional development model for helping teachers apply culturally relevant pedagogy alongside computer science principles within their classrooms. This paper focuses on how teachers experienced and processed this infusion of culturally relevant pedagogy into computer science professional development. Findings suggest that the ways in which participating teachers’ contexts and experiences influence the ways in which they conceptualize culturally relevant pedagogy and plan to implement it into their classrooms. 

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4. Socioscientific modelling as an approach towards justice-centred science pedagogy

   https://doi.org/10.14324/LRE.21.1.30  

   Lesnefsky, Rebecca R; Kirk, Eric A; Yeldell, Jasmyne; Sadler, Troy D; Ke, Li (January 2023, London Review of Education)

   Justice-centred science pedagogy has been suggested as an effective framework for supporting teachers in bringing in culturally relevant pedagogy to their science classrooms; however, limited instructional tools exist that introduce social dimensions of science in ways teachers feel confident navigating. In this article, we add to the justice-centred science pedagogy framework by offering tools to make sense of science and social factors and introduce socioscientific modelling as an instructional strategy for attending to social dimensions of science in ways that align with justice-centred science pedagogy. Socioscientific modelling offers an inclusive, culturally responsive approach to education in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics through welcoming students’ diverse repertoires of personal and community knowledge and linking disciplinary knowledge with social dimensions. In this way, students can come to view content knowledge as a tool for making sense of inequitable systems and societal injustices. Using data from an exploratory study conducted in summer 2022, we present emerging evidence of how this type of modelling has shown students to demonstrate profound insight into social justice science issues, construct understandings that are personally meaningful and engage in sophisticated reasoning. We conclude with future considerations for the field. 

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5. Designing an Equity-Centered Framework and Crosswalk for Integrated Elementary Computer Science Curriculum and Instruction

   https://doi.org/10.26716/jcsi.2023.4.17.46  

   Strickland, Carla; Ramirez-Salgado, Andrea; Weisberg, Lauren; Chandler, LaToya; Di_Domenico, Jeanne; Lehman, Elizabeth; Israel, Maya (January 2023, Journal of Computer Science Integration)

   As computer science (CS) education becomes more prevalent in K-12 instruction, it is critical for educators, researchers, and curriculum developers to identify culturally responsive and pedagogically inclusive approaches that can increase participation, access, and feelings of belonging for students from historically marginalized communities. In response, we developed an equity-centered curricular framework and illustrative crosswalk that synchronizes three distinct pedagogical approaches: culturally responsive pedagogy (CRP), Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and project-based learning (PBL). We describe the framework’s theoretical underpinnings and explain how this framework informed the development of an integrated elementary science+CS curricular unit and provide examples of its implementation. Next, we describe the relationship between our framework, the integrated curricular unit, and educative materials designed to help teachers use the lessons and transform their practice. Finally, we highlight the framework’s potential for broader implementation in the quest to promote equitable CS instruction grounded in the experiences and perspectives of diverse student populations. The crosswalk is a graphical representation of the framework that communicates relationships amongst the elements in a digestible and practical way. This Equity-Centered Curricular Crosswalk addresses both lesson features and teacher practices, to underscore our belief that the responsibility of equity-based pedagogy should not be solely borne by teachers. As educators, researchers, and curriculum developers consider their interconnected roles and responsibilities in the enactment of CRP and UDL, the crosswalk provides an important link between equity-based instructional theories and the realities of classroom practices. 

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