Preparing K-8 Teachers to Teach and Infuse Computer Science Across All SubjectsMSIK12
The rapid advancement of computing technology and increasing dependency on digital information will affect the lives and careers of almost all current students. This eventuality necessitates ongoing evaluation and adaptation of computer science curricula and teaching methodologies to prepare a technology-driven workforce. This paper investigates an initiative developed under a New Jersey state funded Computer Science for All grant program aimed at providing professional learning, resources, and technical assistance to schools and districts to implement the statewide Computer Science Student Learning Standards (SLS-CS) and to expand access to equitable high-quality, standards-based computer science education for all K-12 students. It explores the creation of teacher resources aligned to the New Jersey Student Learning Standards (NJSLS) aimed at preparing kindergarten through 8th grade teachers to effectively prepare and teach computer science to students. The proposed paper describes the methodology to create teacher focused instructional materials based on a teacher professional learning community and survey data from 39 respondents, highlighting key insights, limitations, and recommendations for future improvements. This paper contributes to the existing literature by underscoring the role of teachers to inform how to make computer science instruction more accessible to teachers who are new to computer science education.