Improving computer science (CS) education in PK-12 continues to be a priority for educators, researchers, and policymakers worldwide. One of the leading problems and mitigating factors of student CS success, however, is the lack of teachers prepared and qualified to teach computer science. Efforts have been made to address this issue through…

Cybersecurity educational efforts are urgently needed to introduce young people to the profession and give students and teachers cybersecurity knowledge to protect themselves from increasing cybercrime. In this study, 56 elementary preservice teachers participated in a 3-hour intervention within a technology integration course that introduced them…

Current efforts to prepare teachers for integrating computational thinking (CT) into disciplinary areas often do not ensure equitable CT experiences for students. This study examined teachers' CT integration by applying the Accessible Computational Thinking (ACT) Framework designed to align elementary science teachers' professional learning and…

Educators across disciplines are implementing lessons and activities that integrate computing concepts into their curriculum to broaden participation in computing. Out of myriad important introductory computing skills, it is unknown which--and to what extent--these concepts are included in these integrated experiences, especially when compared to…

Indigenous communities remain among the most underrepresented groups in computing and STEM fields, facing systemic barriers to equitable participation in computer science (CS) education. This study examines how Indigenous-serving teachers, through a sustained professional development (PD) program, design and implement culturally responsive…

There is growing attention to the potential for developing professional learning experiences for content area teachers to infuse computational thinking (CT), which refers to the set of problem-solving practices related to the computer science discipline, into their classrooms. Although research has begun to document professional learning models…

As school districts implement initiatives that bring computer science (CS) to academically diverse K-12 schools, they face heightened demands for supporting teachers in meeting the needs of a broad range of learners. However, limited knowledge exists about pedagogical approaches to teaching CS, especially to students with disabilities. This paper…

In order to create professional development experiences, curriculum materials, and policies that support elementary school teachers to embed computational thinking (CT) in their teaching, researchers and teacher educators must understand ways teachers see CT as connecting to their classroom practices. We interviewed 12 elementary school teachers,…

Computational thinking (CT) is a process and skill set that is being expected of our students after their K-12 education. The issue is that most teachers do not know how to build CT expertise within their students. To address this challenge, we discuss two separate course designs within an initial teacher licensure course on educational…