There is growing attention to the potential for developing professional learning experiences for content area teachers to infuse computational thinking (CT), which refers to the set of problem-solving practices related to the computer science discipline, into their classrooms. Although research has begun to document professional learning models…

Despite evidenced challenges compared to non-rural areas, rural communities are in a unique position to help address recent national demands for renewed STEM emphasis in schools (Saw & Agger, 2021). This study utilizes interviews from five rural educators who participated in a three-week STEM learning camp to discuss: 1) how teachers perceive…

This article presents findings from a study examining the impact of a virtual community of practice (VCoP) on professional development (PD) providers learning how to coach teachers using a virtual coaching model called VECTOR. The study was conducted during a time of widespread school closures amidst a global pandemic, but findings can inform the…

Elementary school teachers are increasingly being asked to teach computer science (CS)--a subject area with which they often have little familiarity. To address this gap, teacher professional development (PD) is a common approach for helping teachers become familiar with CS content. This paper describes a collaborative PD designed to accompany a…

Although students and adults alike are constantly exposed to visuals both online and offline, merely being exposed to visuals does not guarantee visual literacy (Kedra & Zakeviciute, 2019). This study explored K12 teachers' perceptions regarding their personal and instructional use of online images as well as the influence of a visual literacy…

As school closures require educators to transition to remote teaching, relevant models for supporting students are necessary. This article discusses Academic Communities of Engagement (ACE), a framework identifying two communities to help support student engagement: (a) the course community associated with course or school (teacher, peers,…

This paper describes a collaborative project between a district curriculum specialist and university-based researchers to provide on-going support to social studies teachers as they transitioned to digital learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. We developed an asynchronous, on-line and self-guided professional learning project to support teachers…

The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the impact of stress, strategies for coping with stress, and professional identity development of pre-service teachers when teaching to avatars. Research participants consisted of 7 pre-service teachers enrolled in a college of education practicum course at a university in the southeastern…

Mathematics teachers are increasingly encouraged to incorporate computer-based technology in their classrooms, but these tools require strategic use in order to provide any substantive improvement to student understanding. This paper reports on how three middle-school mathematics teachers leveraged one particular tool, PhET interactive simulations…

This explanatory sequential mixed methods study investigated how a professional learning system involving an interplay of teachers' own classroom video, analysis tools and coaching helped teachers notice students' thinking. The system comprised teachers scrutinizing video evidence of their students' ideas, using software tools to analyze the…

The purpose of this study was to characterize and compare 64 elementary science teachers' computer simulation use prior to and following professional development (PD) aligned with Innovation Adoption Theory. The PD highlighted computer simulation affordances that elementary teachers might find particularly useful. Qualitative and quantitative…

An expanded version of the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), which incorporated the concept of Risk Perceptions (RP), was used to examine the intentions of Turkish preservice middle school teachers to use educational technologies (ET) in their future classrooms. A modified survey was developed and tested with a sample of 1,667…

Self-directed, inquiry-based learning opportunities focused on transdisciplinary real-world problem solving have been shown to foster creativity in learners. What tools might we provide classroom teachers to scaffold them and their students through this creative process? This study examines an online informal learning environment and the role the…

In efforts to promote a more learner-centered approach to supervision, faculty members at a Midwestern U.S. university piloted a new digital classroom observation form. Participants included middle/secondary teacher candidates (N = 28) in their final semester of their programs. The overall goal of this study was to gather teacher candidates'…

This study investigates pre-service teachers' TPACK development in a secondary science teacher education program that combined a content-specific technology integration course with extensive field experience. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. Quantitative data were collected through a pre-post administration of the…