Computational thinking infusion as transformative teaching: investigating content area teacher perspectives and practices

ABSTRACT

Background and Context

Using a transformative learning framework, this qualitative study examines the perspectives and practices of 70 middle and high school content area teachers who attended two or more summer professional development workshops.

Objective

This study describes how teachers’ disciplinary perspectives and backgrounds influence their understanding of CT infusion and their implementation of CT-infused lessons.

Method

Data sources for this qualitative comparative case study analysis included: retrospective video reflections, implementation surveys, post-PD surveys, and instructional materials.

Findings

Analysis revealed differences in terms of disorienting dilemmas teachers faced, shifts in their frames of reference, the form of classroom CT infusion, and their integration of specific CT concepts.

Implications

This study contributes a comparative analysis of how teachers from different content areas come to understand CT infusion and implement CT-infused pedagogical practices to support their disciplinary teaching. Findings indicate the importance of including all teachers, STEM and non-STEM, in CT infusion efforts.

KEYWORDS:

• Computational thinking
• teacher learning
• professional development
• transformative learning
• content area teaching
• disciplinary perspectives

Acknowledgments

This study is based on research supported by the National Science Foundation under grant numbers 1742332 and 1742351.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the National Science Foundation [1742351, 1742332].

Notes on contributors

Robin Jocius

Robin Jocius is an associate professor in the College of Education at the University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas. She received her Ph.D. in Teaching, Learning, and Diversity from Vanderbilt University. Her research interests include teacher learning, computational thinking integration, Making, and the development of culturally relevant learning environments to support children and adolescents’ interactions with new media.

Jennifer Albert

Jennifer Albert is an associate professor and director of the STEM Center of Excellence at The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina. She received her Ph.D. in Science Education from North Carolina State University. Her research interests include STEM educational evaluation and research with an emphasis on K-16 computer science education, science education, educational assessment, STEM classroom implementation, and broadening STEM participation of underrepresented minorities, particularly in rural schools.

W. Ian O’Byrne

Ian O’Byrne is an associate professor at the College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina. He received his Ph.D. in Cognition and Instruction from the University of Connecticut His research interests include the literacy practices of individuals as they read, write, and communicate in online spaces and hybrid/blended learning environments.

Deepti Joshi

Deepti Joshi is an associate professor in the Department of Cyber and Computer Sciences, The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina. She received her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Her research interests include patio-temporal data mining, big data analytics, volunteered geographic information systems, social networking, geospatial computing, human geography, and computer science education.

Richard Robinson

Richard Robinson is a mathematics teacher at Penn High School, Mishawaka, Indiana, and Director of the Center for Math Literacy at The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina. He received his Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the University of Tennessee–Knoxville. His research interests include disciplinary literacy, positioning theory, and the use of discourse analytic techniques to improve student engagement in the mathematics classroom.

Melanie Blanton

Melanie Blanton is a doctoral student at Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, and Assistant Director of the STEM Center of Excellence, The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina. Her research interests include teacher learning, computational thinking integration, and Making.