I am thrilled to share that two of my presentation proposals were accepted at the Computer Science Teachers Association's 2024 Annual Conference! Needless to say, I am excited to be heading to Vegas this summer!
I will be presenting results from two project's within CS@AIR: The Center for Evolving Computer Science Education, which explored barriers to the equitable expansion of K-12 CS education and investigated factors related to prospective teachers interest in instructing CS. Read more about the presentations below!
I look forward to sharing more with folks about the great work the American Institutes for Research is doing in the CS education space in Vegas!
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K-12 CS Teaching and Postsecondary Educational Experiences
By: Robert Schwarzhaupt & Joseph P. Wilson, Ph.D.
Abstract: The current shortage of qualified K–12 computer science teachers is a significant barrier to making CS education available to all students. Seeking to understand the factors that influence prospective teachers’ interest in CS education, this poster retrospectively analyzes 27,700 Teach for America applications accepted between 2016 and 2020. Results indicate that applicants who majored in CS or earned at least one postsecondary CS credit were more likely to express interest in teaching CS. Female applicants and racially non-minoritized applicants were also less likely to express interest in teaching CS, compared with male applicants and racially minoritized applicants. This study provide correlational evidence that past experience of learning CS is not only related to general interest in CS among prospective teachers, but may also extend to interest in teaching CS.
Full Paper Link:https://lnkd.in/gwugdjPg
Equitably Expanding K–12 CS Education during COVID-19
By: Robert Schwarzhaupt, Ryan Torbey, PhD, and Joseph P. Wilson, Ph.D.
This presentation shares the perspectives of secondary teachers on barriers to implementing equitable CS instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the spring of 2021, our research team administered a survey to 349 middle and high school teachers from the CS for All Teachers virtual community of practice. We found that competing priorities for college preparation and standardized testing requirements, which do not usually include CS, presented a challenge for expanding CS access. Other barriers include a lack of home access to broadband for students, and an ongoing need for more pedagogical and curricular resources for teachers. These findings reinforce the evidence base that expanding K–12 CS education (before, during, and after COVID-19) faces significant barriers due to gaps and disparities in CS education policies, as well as inequities in students’ access to necessary technology and qualified teachers.
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