Characterizing changes in teacher practice and values through co-design and implementation of computational thinking integrated biology units

Abstract

ABSTRACTBackground and Context To better reflect the computational nature of STEM disciplines and deepen learning of science content computational thinking (CT) should be integrated in science curricula. Teachers have a critical role in supporting effective student learning with CT integrated curricula in classroom settings.Objective Our team worked with high school teachers to co-design and implement CT-integrated biology units.Method We use a model of professional growth and qualitative case studies to characterize changes in teacher practice and values through their involvement in co-design and implementation of a CT-integrated biology unit.Findings Teachers followed similar pathways of professional growth, but their participation and perceptions varied, resulting in three dimensions: 1) participation during design, 2) participation in co-design during implementation, and 3) perception of CT benefits related to student learning.Implications It is important to support teacher comfort and engagement in the co-design process in order to better facilitate professional growth and CT integration.KEYWORDS: Computational thinkingprofessional growthco-designsecondary teachersprofessional developmentin-service teachers AcknowledgmentsThis work was made possible through generous support from the National Science Foundation (grants DRL-1640201 and DRL-1842374) and the Spencer Foundation (Award #201600069). Any opinions, findings, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding organizations.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardy–Weinberg_principle2. https://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/making-fittest-natural-selection-and-adaptationAdditional informationFundingThis work was supported by the National Science Foundation [DRL-1640201 and DRL-1842374]; Spencer Foundation [201600069].