This poster presents a practical model for transatlantic collaboration in computer science education through a blended mobility program between Karlsruhe University of Education (Germany) and Northeastern Illinois University (USA). The program funded by the European Union (Erasmus+) combines virtual and physical mobility phases, enabling students to participate in collaborative courses such as Physical Computing and Cybersecurity without interrupting their home semester. We share insights from the program's first implementation cycle, including student feedback and preliminary data on learning outcomes. This model demonstrates how EU-US cooperation can effectively support practical, hands-on computer science courses in a blended learning environment. Our work highlights challenges and best practices for designing sustainable, international blended mobility programs in computer science teacher education, offering valuable implications for institutions seeking to foster global collaboration in computer science education.

In today's technological age, algorithmic thinking and problem-solving skills are essential. To foster these skills, educators need accessible teaching methods for effective lesson planning. This study presents a teaching approach that employs the theory of the semantic wave to connect abstract concepts with practical applications, with the aim of improving students' algorithmic thinking and digital skills while promoting deeper learning. Tested in a CS teaching-learning lab, pre-service teachers practiced teaching K-12 students and refined their methods for teaching computer science. While previous studies have shown promise, this research advances the approach by integrating Necessity Learning Design (NLD), a method that builds on students' prior knowledge through structured tasks, improving problemsolving skills and significantly increasing algorithmic thinking. This “solve first, teach later” approach aligns with the principles of productive failure, where students initially attempt to solve problems on their own, encountering challenges that prepare them for deeper learning when guidance is later provided. The novelty of this work lies in the application of semantic wave theory with the Necessity Learning Design, which was not explored in CS education so far. Results provide valuable insights for pre-service computer science teachers and demonstrate the potential of this pedagogical approach to enrich both conceptual understanding and practical skills for the challenges of digital transformation.

This paper explores the impact of generative ar-tificial intelligence on text production, focusing on the use of prompt-based AI tools. We propose to move beyond the current use of Large Language Models (LLMs) as “ghostwriters” and advocate for their relevance as tools to enhance the development of epistemic-heuristic strategies to facilitate knowledge construction. Our planned study aims to gain insight into the cognitive processes and behavior of university students when interacting with content generated by LLMs using eye tracking technology. Based on these insights, we explore the potential of providing cognition-aware assistance to enhance writing skills in educational contexts.

The objective of this study is to develop and empirically evaluate an educational model that enhances algorithmic thinking - a key element of computational literacy - through the application with the concept of so called semantic waves for advancing K-12 students' digital proficiency. The concept of a semantic wave refers to the process of moving between abstract, theoretical knowledge and concrete, practical examples to create deeper understanding and learning. Considering this, our proposed model in the field of algorithmic thinking is intended to support pre-service computer science teachers and educators in designing instructional processes that are easy to implement and facilitate swift planning and reflection for K-12 computer science education. Initial results indicate promising outcomes but also suggested areas for enhancement. This research furthermore delves into refining the model through the incorporation of notional machines and the computational action approach for improving the training of future computer science teachers and students for the challenges of digital transformation.

The study presented in this paper examines the development and piloting of a video vignette-based instrument to examine pre-service computer science teachers’ perception of teacher’s empathy in feedback situations. The instrument was developed from scales on empathy in the student-centered approach of humanistic psychology. The sample includes N = 2 experts in teaching and learning, N = 3 pre-service-teachers who were part of the video-vignettes and rated the evaluation items as well as thought aloud when filling out the items in order to improve the instrument. In addition, the sample includes N = 20 pre-service computer science teachers from two different seminars. The results of this study provide implications for further professionalizing teachers in their education.

Teaching algorithmic thinking and programming is an important competency for future informatics teachers to acquire. To encourage this, we are investigating the development of a teaching-learning structure that combines the concept of semantic waves and algorithmic thinking with integrating block-based languages. In our teaching-learning laboratory for informatics (TLL), pre-service informatics teachers develop workshops based our concept, evaluate them with school classes and reflect on their didactic learning. Our concept is evaluated by students’ algorithmic thinking and their perception of the semantic wave using mixed methods. This poster presents one workshop based on our teaching-learning structure and its research procedures.

This paper discusses how a connection between programming and creative work in terms of visual and interactive art can be of interest in the educational context of learning programming. There are strong indications that a creative approach in programming allows to pay attention to institutional and social requirements concerning computer science education. This includes the students' interest and motivation as well as their performance and knowledge acquisition. Even though, this has been discussed before, this paper presents a first basic structure of a didactic concept, enabling an integration of creative coding as an additional path for teaching computer science in schools in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Taking existing approaches into account, basic ideas of creative coding are identified and connected to the concepts of Computational Thinking.

During the first year of computer science studies, students frequently experience difficulties, which can have multiple reasons. We have observed a tendency that students with computer science education at high-school seemed to be more confident and successful in their studies than students with a regular high-school education. As we experienced differences in particular during lectures, we were interested in both groups' perception during lectures that nudges students' way towards success or failure in order to identify possible pitfalls for students without computer science pre-education. To this end, we set up a mixed-methods research consisting of a pre- and post-term questionnaire as well as interviews and group discussions. We asked students about their experiences with teaching and during the first-year at our university. First results indicate that there are no significant differences in both student groups regarding the perception of teaching and teaching methods. However, students with no computer science high-school education are more likely to struggle with introductory coding classes, in particular at the beginning of their first term.

It is one of a teacher's challenges in lesson planning to consider all levels of learning involving students' team skills while taking the actual subject content into account. This descriptive study examines how the student-centered approach can be utilized as supportive classroom climate and how it can be combined with cooperative team tasks for solving computational thinking problems using an easy accessible computer-coding environment. Drawing on existing concepts and research methods this study applies a case study approach with mixed methods to investigate students' development of team-attitudes and characteristics of team cooperation. It turned out, that students identified the quality of cooperation in their teams as beneficial and productive while from an outside point of view their teamwork seemed to be unorganized and not cooperative. These contradicting results were clarified in a classroom meeting, where it became clear, that the student-centered classroom climate still could have influenced students' team attitudes in a way that students felt comfortable to express themselves in their, sometimes not so nice, youth language during problem solving tasks but while be able to solve problems effectively.