Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are transforming instructional design, yet most PK–12 educators lack effective strategies for engaging with them. To address this gap, we developed the CRAFT framework—a teacher-centered model for GenAI prompt design that emphasizes Context, Role, Audience, Format, and Tone. CRAFT translates principles from prompt engineering, instructional design, and Universal Design for Learning into a practical structure aligned with teachers' professional planning language. We implemented the framework in a professional development program with 94 PK–6 teachers who used GenAI to create lessons integrating computational thinking. Their 688 prompts and AI-generated responses were coded across 30 analytical features representing critique, launch behaviors, refinements, and supplemental material generation. Findings suggest that CRAFT helped teachers produce standards-aligned, differentiated, and instructionally coherent lessons while increasing confidence, creativity, and reflective engagement with GenAI tools.

During the UnboxingCT project summer professional development, the Integrated CT Assessment was piloted with 72 elementary teachers. The assessment is based on computational thinking integration literature and asks teachers to identify different computational thinking concepts in content area scenarios. The assessment allowed us to identify which computational thinking concepts teachers were most familiar with prior to the professional development and assess changes in their understanding following the professional development. Our next step will be validation of the assessment with a larger group of teachers.

In this poster, we present our efforts to engage elementary teachers with learning trajectories as a tool for developing both their own and their students' comprehension of computational thinking (CT) and strategies for integrating CT learning in their classroom. Eleven teachers, who voluntarily joined a teacher professional development (PD) program to develop teacher leaders for CT integration in the elementary context, attended a one-day PD session aimed at reviewing their knowledge of CT, participating in CT-infused lessons, and engaging with CT learning trajectories. Over the next year, teachers will participate in monthly virtual PD to continue to grow both their CT content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. Our goal is to develop these teachers as teacher leaders who will support others as they integrate CT. This poster will show our current progress on CT learning trajectories and teacher leaders' responses to the tool.

There is growing attention for developing professional learning experiences for content area teachers to infuse computational thinking (CT). However, there is little reporting on how teachers continue to implement the CT lessons once professional development (PD) is over. This study provides initial results on our efforts of building project sustainability through teacher autonomy in designing their own CT infusion projects or PDs for their schools. Our initial analysis indicates the need to continue to build teacher autonomy within the professional learning experiences for developing teacher confidence and sustainability of the project.

In 2018 and 2019, Infusing Computing offered face-to-face summer PD workshops to support middle and high school teachers in integrating computational thinking into their classrooms through week-long summer PD workshops and academic-year support. Due to COVID-19, 151 teachers attended the Summer 2020 PD workshops in a week-long virtual conference format. In this paper, we describe Virtual Pivot: Infusing Computing, which employed emerging technology tools, pre-PD training, synchronous and asynchronous sessions, Snap! pair programming, live support, and live networking. Drawing on findings from participant interviews and post-PD surveys, we argue that three categories of changes (digital tools, formats, and supports for teacher engagement and collaboration) were effective in increasing participants' self-efficacy in teaching CT, supporting collaboration, and enabling participants to design CT-infused content-area lessons. We conclude by discussing how elements of this virtual PD can be replicated to increase teacher and student access to CT practices in middle and high school classrooms