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  • Computational Classrooms: A Research-Based Approach to Designing a Computer Science Course for Elementary and Middle School Teachers

This content will become publicly available on March 23, 2026

Title: Computational Classrooms: A Research-Based Approach to Designing a Computer Science Course for Elementary and Middle School Teachers
To address the complex threats to Earth's life-sustaining systems, students need to learn core concepts and practices from various disciplines, including mathematics, civics, science, and, increasingly, computer science (NRC, 2012; United Nations, 2021). Schools must therefore equip students to navigate and integrate these disciplines to tackle real-world problems. Over the past two decades, STEM educators have advocated for an interdisciplinary approach, challenging traditional barriers between subjects and emphasizing contextualized real-world issues (Hoachlander & Yanofsky, 2011; Vasquez et al., 2013; Ortiz-Revilla et al., 2020; Honey et al., 2014; Takeuchi et al., 2020). Despite extensive evidence supporting integrated approaches to STEM education, subject boundaries remain, with disciplines often taught separately and computer science and computational thinking (CS & CT) not consistently included in elementary and middle school curricula. In today's digital age, CS and CT are crucial for a well-rounded education and for addressing sustainability challenges (ESSA, 2015; NGSS Lead States, 2013; NRC, 2012). While there's consensus on the importance of introducing computational concepts and practices to elementary and middle school students, integrating them into existing curricula poses significant challenges, including how to effectively support teachers to deliver inquiry instruction confidently and competently (Ryoo, 2019). Existing frameworks and tools for teaching CS and CT often focus on maintaining fidelity to canonical concepts and formalized taxonomies rather than on practical applications (Grover & Pea, 2013; Kafai et al., 2020; Wilkerson et al., 2020). This focus can lead teachers to learn terminology without fully understanding its relevance or application in different contexts. In response, some researchers suggest using a learning sciences perspective to consider “how the complexity of everyday spaces of learning shapes what counts, and what should be counted, as ‘computational thinking’” (Wilkerson et al., 2020, p. 265). These scholars emphasize the importance of drawing on learners’ everyday experiences and problems to make computational practices more meaningful and contextually relevant for both teachers and their students. Thus, this paper aims to address the following question: How can we design learning experiences for in-service teachers that support (1) their authentic engagement with computational concepts, practices, and tools and (2) more effective integration within classroom contexts? In the limited space of this proposal, we primarily address part 1.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2219332
PAR ID:
10615798
Author(s) / Creator(s):
;
Publisher / Repository:
National Association for Research in Science Teaching
Date Published:
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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