Preparing School Leaders to Advance Equity in Computer Science Education

Background and Context: Most large-scale statewide initiatives of the Computer Science for All (CS for All) movement have focused on the classroom level. Critical questions remain about building school and district leadership capacity to support teachers while implementing equitable computer science education that is scalable and sustainable. Objective: This statewide research-practice partnership, involving university researchers and school leaders from 14 local education agencies (LEA) from district and county offices, addresses the following research question: What do administrators identify as most helpful for understanding issues related to equitable computer science implementation when engaging with a guide and workshop we collaboratively developed to help leadership in such efforts? Method: Participant surveys, interviews, and workshop observations were analyzed to understand best practices for professional development supporting educational leaders. Findings: Administrators value computer science professional development resources that: (a) have a clear focus on “equity;” (b) engage with data and examples that deepen understandings of equity; (c) provide networking opportunities; (d) have explicit workshop purpose and activities; and (e) support deeper discussions of computer science implementation challenges through pairing a workshop and a guide. Implications: Utilizing Ishimaru and Galloway’s (2014) framework for equitable leadership practices, this study offers an actionable construct for equitable implementation of computer science including (a) how to build equity leadership and vision; (b) how to enact that vision; and (c) how to scale and sustain that vision. While this construct applies to equitable leadership practices more broadly across all disciplines, we found its application particularly useful when explicitly focused on equity leadership practices in computer science.

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COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION: ONLINE CONTENT MODULES AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SECONDARY TEACHERS IN WEST TENNESSEE – A CASE STUDY

i-manager’s Journal of Educational Technology ◽

10.26634/jet.15.2.14534 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 8

Author(s):

ALLEN LEE ◽

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Science Education ◽

Computer Science ◽

Secondary Teachers ◽

Computer Science Education ◽

Online Content ◽

West Tennessee

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Gender Analysis of a Large Scale Survey of Middle Grades Students' Conceptions of Computer Science Education

Proceedings of the Third Conference on GenderIT - GenderIT '15 ◽

10.1145/2807565.2807706 ◽

2015 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

David C. Webb ◽

Susan B. Miller

Keyword(s):

Science Education ◽

Computer Science ◽

Large Scale ◽

Middle Grades ◽

Computer Science Education ◽

Gender Analysis ◽

Large Scale Survey

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The Rise of the Digital Polymath

Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional Design - Handbook of Research on Integrating Computer Science and Computational Thinking in K-12 Education ◽

10.4018/978-1-7998-1479-5.ch011 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 191-219 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alexander Repenning ◽

Anna Lamprou ◽

Patrick Wigger

Keyword(s):

Professional Development ◽

Science Education ◽

Computer Science ◽

Game Design ◽

Course Design ◽

Computer Science Education ◽

Computational Thinking ◽

Design Activities ◽

Difficult Challenge ◽

K 12

A difficult challenge to computer science education is the systemic professional development of teachers. K-12 computer science education models limited to voluntary in-service teacher professional development may not reach a critical majority of teachers who are skeptical towards information technology, computer science, programming and computational thinking. The inclusion of computer science in a national K-12 education standard in Switzerland has made it possible to move beyond voluntary K-12 computer science education for in-service teachers to mandatory pre-service teacher education for all elementary teachers. This chapter describes the vision of the Digital Polymath as a digitally enabled person empowered by computational thinking to connect computer science with other disciplines. The course design, combining game design activities, computational thinking tools and the 7 big ideas from the computer science principles framework is outlined and experiences are reported.

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Peer Review In Computer Sciences

Advances in Computer-Supported Learning ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-355-5.ch003 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 45-65

Author(s):

Vinícius Medina Kern ◽

Roberto Carlos dos Santos Pacheco ◽

Luciana Martins Saraiva ◽

Joyce Munarski Pernigotti

Keyword(s):

Science Education ◽

Computer Science ◽

Peer Review ◽

Large Scale ◽

Computer Science Education ◽

Methodological Approach ◽

Educational Approach ◽

Student Work ◽

Positive Results

Several experiences with peer review in computer science education have been reported in the literature. What is needed to turn it into a continued, regular educational approach? We try to answer that question beginning by presenting the skills required by computer science international curricula, as well as the skills exercised in peer review, an approach that can match those requirements. The practice of peer review in computer science education is reported, revealing very positive results, but with little sign of institutionalization and long-term application. The learning outcomes, the software available, the types of student work reviewed, and the different approaches are detailed. The issues of a methodological approach for continued, regular, large scale application are discussed.

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