The shortage of qualified cybersecurity professionals is a growing concern in the information technology industry, and the rapid growth of the field exacerbates this shortage. Employers express concern over the shortage of hands-on, practical skills and problem-solving abilities among recent graduates, leading to the "cybersecurity skills…

This paper explores the rationales underpinning the introduction of Computer Science (CS) into school curricula and examines the ways in which educational systems have responded to these growing calls. In outlining the possible ways that educational systems can respond to this demand, the paper makes use of a conceptual framework through which the…

Professional learning communities (PLCs) are a powerful school improvement strategy designed to advance teacher professional development. Protocols are tools for structuring teacher conversations in PLCs. In this article the authors present the results of a qualitative study of teacher perspectives about the value and effects of systematic…

Many students want to enroll in programming courses but fear the challenges ahead. They aspire to design quality systems or games after acquiring related skills but report concerns that programming logic is too difficult to learn because memorization of the syntax is required. Thus, they experience anxiety, are demotivated to learn, and,…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the collaborative dialogue patterns of pair programming and their impact on programming self-efficacy and coding performance for both slow- and fast-paced students. Forty-six postgraduate students participated in the study. The students were asked to solve programming problems in pairs; those pairs'…

This paper is an experiential report describing the faculty and student experiences and knowledge gained from developing an Internet of Things (IoT) course within an Information Technology (IT) Department at a large southeastern United States public university. The paper contributes insights gained developing the introductory IoT course, and it…

As the use of artificial intelligence (AI), especially machine learning (ML), has dramatically increased, K-12 schools have begun to deliver AI education; however, little is known about teachers' views on the field. This qualitative study investigated how U.S. high school computer science (CS) teachers conceptualize AI, the role of AI in their CS…

Diminishing duplication and finding connections between the "Australian Curriculum: Mathematics" and "Digital Technologies" were a focus of the revision to version 9. This emphasis has provided enhanced opportunities for integration of these learning areas. In this exploratory multiple case study, interviews with teachers…

Gender disparities persist in postsecondary computing fields, despite improvements in postsecondary equity overall and STEM fields as an aggregate. The entrenchment of this issue requires a comprehensive, longitudinal lens. Building on expectancy-value theory, the present study examines the relationships among students' gender-ability stereotypes,…

Digital literacy (DL) training improves the participants' digital skills and engagements and achieves desired online benefits and opportunities. However, there remains a gap in understanding whether the acquired skills effectively translate into tangible outcomes. This study explores how digital literacy training programs (DLTPs) serve as…

This study puts forth the counternarrative of the first author Gislaine, a first-generation undergraduate student, Latina, and computer science major. Gislaine participated in a research internship and STEM mentorship program led by the second author, Meredith. Through this program, Gislaine designed and taught CS lessons to predominantly…

Deep learning is a very popular topic in computer sciences courses despite the fact that it is often challenging for beginners to take their first step due to the complexity of understanding and applying Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Thus, the need to both understand and use neural networks is appearing at an ever-increasing rate across all…

This paper discusses the design of interactive gamified assessments for an introductory programming course based on the multimedia segmenting principle and gamification. The objective is to develop more engaging online programming assessments for low-achieving students. The general design follows Nielsen's design guidelines and incorporates…

Background: Computational thinking (CT) is crucial to fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Many elementary schools have been cultivating students' CT through block-based programming languages such as Scratch using traditional teacher-centered teaching methods. However, the approach excessively relies on teacher lectures, so the…

This study analyzes the impact of the Chicago Alliance for Equity in Computer Science (CAFÉCS) Research Practice Partnership (RPP) on the Chicago Public School (CPS) Office of Computer Science (OCS). Using a qualitative analysis drawing on data from leadership team meetings, published articles and presentations, and evaluation reports from 11…