This research to practice work in progress paper explores changes in teachers' knowledge of integrating computational thinking (CT) into early childhood education in a professional learning (PL) initiative. The main goal of the program is to prepare teachers to develop CT practices into early childhood learning environments by fostering several key components: recognizing the significance of CT development from early childhood, applying pedagogical practices (i.e. unplugged activities, Use-Modify-Create), identifying socially constructed roles and stereotypes surrounding toys, implications of screen and device usage in learning, and developing skills to design CT learning activities tailored for their own classroom settings. To achieve our goals, the research team designed, implemented, and evaluated an online 30-hour PL program with educators from Latin American countries. Approximately 80 teachers completed the online PL program. The participating teachers engaged with the PL program weekly by providing written journal reflections. In the final week, they were asked to design a lesson based on what they learned and implement it into their classroom. Teachers completed a pre- and post-survey surrounding their self-efficacy and technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK) in CT. Data sources include pre- and post-surveys, teacher journal reflections, and lesson plans developed by teachers. In this paper, we analyzed their journal reflections to qualitatively develop an understanding of how teachers progressed in the PL. The lesson plans will be analyzed to identify: (1) the learning goals for the students, (2) which activities teachers preferred to implement, and (3) how they assessed student learning in CT in their classroom. Preliminary findings demonstrate the types of CT activities they implemented in their classrooms. Teachers also created lessons that met their students' needs which further provides examples of how CT is integrated within the existing curriculum surrounding student interest and culture. Many PL programs often teach about CT concepts, but do not offer a chance to implement a lesson plan and reflect on their experience. This process helps teachers develop self-efficacy for teaching CT in an elementary classroom and teachers reported that they would continue to integrate CT within their future instruction. Also, this program contributes to the reduction of the gender gap in CT, promoting equitable practices in early childhood education.

In this innovative practice works-in-progress paper we designed an undergraduate/graduate engineering course that fosters learning experiences for students to develop and customize robotics for art and educational contexts. Engineering projects that offer real-world solutions provide students with a sense that they are engaging in something meaningful and see their time in school as a benefit to society. Engineering students in a robotics fundamentals course were paired with a senior art or engineering student mentor with prior experience to help develop a robotics platform for social good. Students were given basic robotics kits to create unique solutions that meet the needs of potential students in art or computer science education. We seek to capture this multidisciplinary approach that provides students with an experiential learning opportunity in engineering to design robotic systems. We report findings from the course and the students' projects. Seven groups created robots for art and three created robots for computer science education.

Elementary teachers within a culturally relevant computer science researcher-practitioner partnership (RPP) co-designed and facilitated short professional development opportunities to share back to the RPP members, internally labeled as micro-PD. We describe the nature of these micro-PDs and share artifacts that the teachers co-constructed and taught as a preliminary model of collaboratively building learning opportunities within an RPP.

This poster reports on the second iteration of a workshop to help elementary teachers create lesson plans that integrate culturally relevant computer science (CS) learning opportunities. Findings include revisions to the workshop from the previous year and reveal the extent to which teachers used supports for culturally relevant pedagogy to refine their lesson ideas. The presentation will discuss results and share workshop artifacts.

This poster reports on a workshop to help elementary school teachers integrate culturally relevant computer science (CS) learning opportunities into their classrooms. Findings highlight the importance of facilitators to help teachers discuss cultural competence and the value of co-developed rubrics to evaluate lessons. The presentation will discuss results and share artifacts from the workshop.