I situate computer programming as a cultural practice. I develop this perspective in two ways: exploring how programming practices can support intercultural learning, and examining how programming tools themselves embed cultural assumptions and values. For the former, I study how relationships across difference are formed over computing activities…

The "Computer Science for All" (CS for All) movement launched in 2016, following a decade of increasing support for broadening access to computer science education in K-12. In the years since, it has grown into a broad-based effort to equip all students with the skills they need to thrive in a digital society. CS for All follows a long…

In this dissertation, I explore how researchers, teachers, and students can learn together across various contexts in K-12 computing education. These explorations are situated within the development and implementation of the Getting Unstuck curriculum, a set of educative curriculum materials (Davis et al., 2017) designed for upper elementary…

Computer science (CS) education has experienced rapid growth over the past decade with student demand leading to new courses or course pathways being offered in K-12 educational settings. Student demand has been matched by parent/community and technology industry support. Educators have quickly responded to the demand by expanding course…

Computational thinking (CT) has great potential for enhancing mathematics and science lessons in K-12 education. Numerous studies demonstrate that under the right circumstances, CT integration in math and science can improve student learning and promote deeper understanding. However, teacher education currently does not include preparation for…

The field of computer science education currently lacks consistency in access, equity, and inclusion for students in historically marginalized groups, particularly students with disabilities. At the same time, research demonstrates a need for high-quality teacher professional development to support the inclusion of students with disabilities in…

Educational reform in the United States is often focused on upgrading school curricula in response to evolution in science, technology, and society. Wyoming is no exception. A 2001 Wyoming Supreme Court decision granted constitutional protection to every K-12 student in the state for a "fair, complete, and equal education, appropriate for the…

Computer science impacts our lives every day in a multitude of ways. Despite its ubiquity and power to shape the world, the computer science education community continues to struggle with issues of equity. Problems of access, opportunity, influence and achievement are pervasive and while a handful of scholars have investigated specific approaches…

Scholars like Ruha Benjamin have cautioned how hegemonic technologies can reinforce White supremacy and deepen racism against Black and Brown folks due to racial biases in "neutral/normative" Artificial Intelligence and over-surveillance of Black folks. K-12 education can also contribute to this hegemony. Culturally Responsive Computing…

It has been projected that the U.S. economy will have a surplus of computer science jobs in the future to keep up with innovation and the evolution of the digital world, and more computer science professionals will be needed to fill these jobs. In the past 15-20 years, efforts have been underway that focus on the recruitment and retention of…

There is a consensus that today's students in the U.S. are not prepared to fill the almost 1 million unfilled computing jobs in 2024. In the wake of the Computer Science For All initiative in 2016, advocacy groups, such as the Association for Computing Machinery, Code.org and the Computer Science Teachers Association, actively encourage diversity…

The integration of computational thinking (CT) and computer science (CS) into formal K-12 learning experiences are critical for students to be competent 21st Century problem solvers. Building student competency with these areas is dependent upon educators who have the pedagogical content expertise to integrate CT and CS within their disciplines…

It is becoming increasingly necessary for every child to have experience with 21st century Computational Thinking (CT) skills including learning to program. Considerable efforts have been made within the last two decades including the development and widespread use of novice-friendly block-based programming environments such as Scratch and Snap!…

This study explores experiences of women as they pursue post-secondary computing education in various contexts. Using in-depth interviews, the current study employs qualitative methods and draws from an intersectional approach to focus on how the various barriers emerge for women in different types of computing cultures. In-depth interviews with…

Advances in technology have caused high schools to update their computer science curricula; however there has been little analogous attention to technology-related education in middle schools. With respect to computer-related knowledge and skills, middle school students are at a critical phase in life, exploring individualized education options…