Evaluating Computer Science Professional Development Models and Educator Outcomes to Ensure Equity

Abstract

Google’s educator professional development (PD) grants (formerly Computer Science for High School [CS4HS]) provide annual funding to education nonprofits that design and deliver Computer Science (CS) PD to educators in their local communities. As CS education is an emerging field, many education stakeholders can be ill-equipped to identify CS PD needs, evaluate options, and assess educator and student outcomes. As a result educators may participate in CS PD that fails to address their needs, which worsens equity gaps in CS education. Therefore, models of evaluating CS PD programs and outcomes are critical to equitable CS education. This paper provides an update on earlier research findings from 2014 with data from the 2015 and 2016 evaluation cycles, as well as updates to our evaluation measures and methodology.