Abstract:

In 2017, the Virginia Department of Education initiated the United State’s first mandate for statewide computer science learning standards in all public elementary and secondary schools. Experts designed an integrated approach to the K-8th grade Virginia Computer Science Standards of Learning to promote equity and efficiency, yet non-computer science teachers immediately faced difficulties with integrating computer science into their core areas. Virginia’s educators have stated that integration challenges at the local level include:
1) a lack of professional development,
2) resources to deepen their computer science knowledge and skills and
3) lesson writing proficiency using an integrated approach.

Teachers and instructional leaders must strive to learn computer science content and curricular design skills to effectively integrate computer science in multiple subject areas to meet state expectations.

This poster session shares strategic solutions for computer science integration by non-computer science teachers developed by the project team from the Reaching Across the Hallway project, a National Science Foundation-funded Discovery Research K-12 grant (#2010256). The project takes an interdisciplinary approach to integrate culturally relevant computer science skills and practices into social studies content by paired middle school (grades 6-8th) social studies and instructional technology teachers. The role of teacher participants in this grant is to learn about computer science integration to a depth that they can serve as integration coaches for other non-computer science teachers in their locality.

Now beginning its third year, this grant has produced multiple iterations of tools, resources, and training sessions based on preliminary research that shape the learning experience of practicing teachers in the art of lesson integration. This poster session shares the project team’s innovative multiple-entry-point approach that guides teachers through a scaffolded support system, including professional learning, instructional coaching and curriculum development resources. This process helps teachers design and implement culturally relevant integrated lessons that engage students in learning about the convergence of social studies and computer science knowledge and skills.

Keywords:

Computer science, computational thinking, computational literacy, curriculum, integration, computer science integration, professional development.