Studying Implementation of Secondary Introductory Computer Science: Pilot Results (Abstract Only)

Education researchers have extensively studied how secondary teachers adopt and adapt new curriculum and new teaching practices, especially in science and mathematics. Their goals are often to learn ways to help teachers enact new pedagogical approaches, so the results inform teacher professional development, as well as building knowledge in the field. Changing teaching practice often involves changes across a number of fronts: for example, inquiry-based teaching of science involves skills in developing questions, supporting student whole-class discussion and sense-making, and allowing students time to investigate authentic problems. Research is now underway to discover ways to similarly help teachers in K-12 computer science (CS). K-12 CS curricula have emphasized inquiry- and equity-focused teaching practices as ways to engage and include students while simultaneously deepening students? understanding of CS concepts and practices. While researchers have focused on measuring student attitudes to discern engagement and feelings of inclusivity, less work has been done on how implementation affects student learning. To study this, CS education researchers need frameworks and instruments to measure implementation, attitudes, and learning. We are developing and validating instruments that support mixed-methods study of curriculum enactment and teaching quality, with a focus on inquiry, equity, and computational thinking practices. This poster will present preliminary results from a large-scale study of implementation in secondary CS classrooms to build a more systematic understanding of evolving practices in measuring curriculum enactment and teaching quality.