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Few studies of computational thinking (CT) integration in elementary curricula have yet focused on supporting early elementary educators with implementing and assessing their young students’ application of these practices to content area work. This paper summarizes a collaborative research project that engaged researchers, K-second grade teachers, and professional development (PD) providers in implementing a hybrid PD model to answer the following research questions: (1) What kind of PD and guidance do teachers need to identify and support emergent computational thinking development in young students’ language and work process? (2) What kind of PD and guidance do teachers need to identify emergent computational thinking development in young students’ work products? This project employed a mixed-methods research design that included pre- and post-surveys and interviews with teachers to measure and understand how growth in teachers’ confidence, knowledge, and self-efficacy with CT prepared them to identify and support these concepts with young learners. Additionally, analysis was able to identify the key formative assessment strategies these teachers employed to generate insight into students’ understanding and application of CT during problem-solving. 

This paper describes efforts to develop and study a framework for schoolwide integration of computational thinking (CT). The CT Integration Framework (CT Framework) is a self-assessment and planning tool for educators that serves three essential goals: (1) to identify and describe core elements that will affect CT integration across school curricula; (2) to help determine a school’s readiness, diagnosing strengths and challenges to integrate CT across multiple grades and subjects; and (3) to guide schools in setting goals for CT integration and determine indicators of progress toward those goals. We describe the results of two successive mixed-methods research studies that field-tested the CT Framework and its companion self-assessment tool, documenting the pathways toward schoolwide CT integration and professional development (PD) experiences of eight elementary schools located in both rural and urban school districts in four states in the United States of America. Based on the studies’ findings, we reflect on the ways in which the CT Framework proved to be a useful tool for the researchers and practitioners who participated in the projects. Specifically, we found it helped researchers to understand the different elements each school prioritized as their initial areas of focus and how each school expanded their efforts over time. When triangulated with additional survey and interview data, the information collected by using the CT Framework provided the project team with a structure for learning about the approaches each school took and understanding the similarities and differences that emerged among the schools in their approaches toward schoolwide CT integration. The CT Framework also proved to be very useful in guiding schools’ implementation efforts, as it helped school leaders clearly define the vision for schoolwide CT integration and identify and prioritize goals to ensure progress toward the school’s vision for CT integration.