Preparing K-12 Teachers to Inspire Future Coders: It Doesn’t Have to be Complex
Lori Carter, Catherine Crockett · 2018
This full paper from the innovative practice category presents the experience of the authors with a unique, week-long professional development workshop aimed at preparing K-12 teachers to introduce Computer Science concepts to their students that proved to be feasible, effective, and sustainable. Research confirms that many students have a harder time embracing new skills and concepts once they reach their teen years. Consequently, for Computer Science to be a consideration for study in later years, introduction to the subject as early as elementary school is beneficial. School teachers are good candidates to make this introduction because of the mentoring relationships that they have already built with their students. In-class lessons require no recruiting efforts to bring students to an outside computing program, and in most cases, no extra cost is incurred. However, the majority of K-12 teachers have no training in Computer Science and may lack confidence in presenting computing concepts to their students. Furthermore, Computer Science professionals who could help train the teachers may be intimidated by the work and expense required to implement a professional development opportunity to help build the confidence of these educators. This workshop was an easy-to-implement, low-cost, and accessible alternative to other methods.