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1. “These two worlds are antithetical": Epistemic tensions in integrating computational thinking in K12 humanities and arts.

   ​​Santo, R. (July 2023, Proceedings of International Society of the Learning Sciences.)

   While advocates for interdisciplinary learning have voiced risks of separating out disciplinary learning into discrete silos, studies of contact between heterogeneous disciplinary perspectives in both pedagogical and real world professional settings point to other risks that educators may need to consider. As such, designing for interdisciplinary learning does not simply require addressing functional problems such as teacher professional learning and time in the school day, but rather implicates complex epistemological navigations that must be taken into account. This manuscript explores potential epistemic tensions between Computational Thinking (CT) and humanities and arts disciplines based on a Delphi study with experts from three humanities disciplines—language arts, social studies, and arts. We analyzed how experts talked about epistemic tensions between CT and their disciplines and how they saw possible resolutions for those tensions. Our analysis found 5 epistemic tensions: contextual reductionism, procedural reductionism, epistemic chauvinism, threats to epistemic identities, and epistemic convergence. 

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2. Infusing Computational Thinking into STEM Teaching: From Professional Development to Classroom Practice

   Jocius, R. (January 2021, Educational technology society)

   Despite increasing attention to the potential benefits of infusing computational thinking into content area classrooms, more research is needed to examine how teachers integrate disciplinary content and CT as part of their pedagogical practices. This study traces how middle and high school teachers (n = 24) drew on their existing knowledge and their experiences in a STEM professional development program to infuse CT into their teaching. Our work is grounded in theories of TPACK and TPACK-CT, which leverage teachers’ knowledge of technology for computational thinking (CT), CT as a disciplinary pedagogical practice, and STEM content knowledge. Findings identify three key pedagogical supports that teachers utilized and transformed as they taught CT-infused lessons (articulating a key purpose for CT infusion, scaffolding, and collaborative contexts), as well as barriers that caused teachers to adapt or abandon their lessons. Implications include suggestions for future research on CT infusion into secondary classrooms, as well as broader recommendations to support teachers in applying STEM professional development content to classroom practice. 

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3. Preparing Teachers for Computational Thinking Integration in K-12: A Meta-Aggregation

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3408877.3439639  

   Caskurlu, Secil; Hu Anne Drew; Yadav, Aman; Santo, Rafi (March 2021, SIGCSE)

   In this poster, we will present approaches and associated design principles for integrating computational thinking (CT) into middle school Social Studies, Arts, and Language Arts instruction to en- hance disciplinary learning. We used four steps to identify these ap- proaches and design principles: (1) co-design with teachers and ex- perts in computer science and CT education to ideate CT-integrated lessons; (2) research team meetings to identify initial design prin- ciples based on the ideated lessons; (3) consultation with subject matter experts; and (4) conducting a Delphi study with pedagogical experts (e.g., teachers, curriculum writers, teacher educators) to examine the clarity, feasibility and potential impact of the design principles. The process led to three broad approaches to integrate CT into Social Studies instruction that included 14 design principles, three for Arts with 16 design principles, and four for Language Arts with 13 design principles. 

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4. Accessible Computational Thinking in Elementary Science.

   Bernier, J.; Cabrera, L.; Figueroa, F.; Ha, J.; Kramarczuk, K.; Mak, J.; Su, M.; Xin, Y.; Yan, L.; Ketelhut, D. J.; et al (January 2022, Proceedings of the 16th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2022.)

   Chinn, C.; Tan, E.; & Kali, Y. (Ed.)

   Computational thinking (CT) is ubiquitous in modern science, yet rarely integrated at the elementary school level. Moreover, access to computer science education at the PK-12 level is inequitably distributed. We believe that access to CT must be available earlier and implemented with the support of an equitable pedagogical framework. Our poster will describe our Accessible Computational Thinking (ACT) research project exploring professional development with elementary teachers on integrating computational thinking with Culturally Responsive Teaching practices. 

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5. Accessible Computational Thinking in Elementary Science

   Bernier, J.; Cabrera, L.; Figueroa, F.; Ha, J.; Kramarczuk, K.; Mak, J.; Su, M.; Xin, Y.; Yan, L.; Ketelhut, D. J.; et al (January 2022, Proceedings of the 16th International Conference of the Learning Sciences - ICLS 2022)

   Chinn, C.; Tan, E.; Chan, C.; Kali, Y. (Ed.)

   Computational thinking (CT) is ubiquitous in modern science, yet rarely integrated at the elementary school level. Moreover, access to computer science education at the PK-12 level is inequitably distributed. We believe that access to CT must be available earlier and implemented with the support of an equitable pedagogical framework. Our poster will describe our Accessible Computational Thinking (ACT) research project exploring professional development with elementary teachers on integrating computational thinking with Culturally Responsive Teaching practices. 

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