This research project employs a case study design to examine how K-6 non-computer science (CS) trained teachers can be effectively prepared to teach CS, metaphorically unmasking hidden superheroes in the education system. Grounded in the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework, the study also integrates Bandura's Theory of…

Background: With the growing emphasis on computer science (CS) education in K-12 schools, numerous professional development (PD) programs for in-service CS teachers (CS-PD) have been implemented over the past decades. However, there is a lack of systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effectiveness of these CS-PD programs. To address…

Computer science (CS) has become a critical part of K-12 education worldwide. Computational thinking (CT) skills are a key set of competencies in CS education that can solve problems and use computational design to create useful solutions. However, preservice and in-service teachers are not fully prepared to integrate CS and CT into their…

Teacher qualifications are a crucial element for successfully implementing integrated STEM education. Research suggests that a STEM education program should be compulsory for all STEM-related teachers. In this study, as STEM education researchers, we asked teachers from different disciplines about their expectations from a professional development…

The aim of this research was to check the effects of teacher's training and teaching methods on academic achievements and interests of students at secondary schools in computer course. The population was divided into four groups; lecture teaching method (control group), discussion teaching method (experimental method), inquiry teaching method…

This study explored (1) pedagogical strategies in Educational Coding and Robotics (ECR) learning which can develop computational thinking of students and (2) the degree of teacher centrality in the ECR classroom. In addition, we investigated (3) the added value of the Small Private Online Course (SPOC) to teacher professional development (TPD). We…

This practice paper provides a detailed scaffolded layout of how to embed computational thinking concepts into a project-based math methods course. Parallel to completing a project in which the in-service teachers design solutions for math struggles of their P-12 students, the graduate students reflect on their problem-solving activities using…

Recently, there has been growing interest among practitioners and scientists in teaching children computer programming languages. The international efforts to raise generations who produce technologies are supported at the national level in Turkey too. Programming language education is included beginning from secondary school curricula of computer…

The rapid integration of technology into our professional and personal lives has left many education systems ill-equipped to deal with the influx of people seeking computing education. To improve computing education, we are applying techniques that have been developed for other procedural fields. The present study applied such a technique, subgoal…

This study was conducted to examine the effect of in-service training of computer science teachers in Scratch language using an electronic learning platform on acquiring programming skills and attitudes towards teaching programming. The sample of this study consisted of 40 middle school computer science teachers. They were assigned into two…

STEM, the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics is increasingly being promoted in elementary education. However, elementary educators are largely untrained in the 21st century skills of computing (a subset of technology) and engineering. The purpose of this study was to better understand elementary teachers'…

STEM, the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics is increasingly being promoted in elementary education. However, elementary educators are largely untrained in the 21st century skills of computing (a subset of technology) and engineering. The purpose of this study was to better understand elementary teachers'…

The significance of computer science for economics and society is undisputed. In particular, computer science is acknowledged to play a key role in schools (e.g., by opening multiple career paths). The provision of effective computer science education in schools is dependent on teachers who are able to properly represent the discipline and whose…

The use of integrated science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) instruction has the affordances of combining harmonious content area connections into real-world experiences that are both engaging and challenging. This article introduces findings from a study that used an integrated robotics module to expose in-service and preservice…

To design an effective computer science curriculum, educators require a systematic method of classifying the difficulty level of learning activities and assessment tasks. This is important for curriculum design and implementation and for communication between educators. Different educators must be able to use the method consistently, so that…