Are you interested in learning more about recent research in CS education and how it might be useful to your classrooms? Join our CS Education Discussion Group!

The CS Education Discussion Group is a weekly group for those who would like to learn more about ongoing research in CS education and discuss it in the context of your own experiences and unique classroom settings. Led by CSEdResearch.org volunteer, Dr. Emily Thomforde, these facilitated discussions bridge the known gap between research findings and classroom practices and provide a place for teachers to reflect on their own experience.

Our discussion group meets twice a week:

Website * Google Group * Calendar

All are welcome, including latecomers and those anywhere in the world. Reading the paper ahead of time is suggested, but not required. No commitment is necessary, just join when you can.

This Week

Week 227: March 28, 2023 What is a Computer Scientist?: Unpacking the Ontological Beliefs of Black and Hispanic Female Computing Students

Upcoming

Week 228: April 4, 2023 Preparing High School Teachers to Integrate AI Methods into STEM Classrooms
Week 229: April 11, 2023 Abstraction in action: K-5 teachers’ uses of levels of abstraction, particularly the design level, in teaching programming
Week 230: April 18, 2023 Exploring Approaches to Data Literacy Through a Critical Race Theory Perspective
Week 231: April 25, 2023 Computer Criticism vs. Technocentric Thinking
Week 232: May 2, 2023 A ‘Hands on’ Strategy for Teaching Genetic Algorithms to Undergraduates
Week 233: May 9, 2023 “What Happens to the Raspado man in a Cash-free Society?”: Teaching and Learning Socially Responsible Computing

2022 ARCHIVE

Week Date Link
226 Mar 21, 2023 The hAPPy-Lab: A gender-conscious way to learn coding basics in an open makerspace setting
225 Mar 14, 2023 Racial Justice Amidst the Dangers of Computing Creep: A Dialogue
224 Mar 7, 2023 Data Detectives: A Data Science Program for Middle Grade Learners
223 Feb 28, 2023 Who Needs What: Recommendations for Designing Effective Online Professional Development for Computer Science Teachers
222 Feb 21, 2023 Teachers’ talk about Robotics: Where is the Mathematics?
221 Feb 14, 2023 Education in the Era of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI): Understanding the Potential Benefits of ChatGPT in Promoting Teaching and Learning
220 Feb 7, 2023 The Intersectional Experiences of Black Women in Computing
219 Jan 31, 2023 Reimagining Professional Development for K-8 CS Teachers: Evaluating a Virtual, Diffuse Model
218 Jan 24, 2023 Helpful Strategies for Utilizing the Universal Design For Learning Framework in Computer Science Education
217 Jan 17, 2023 Moving Towards a Vision of Equitable Computer Science: Results of a Landscape Survey of PreK-12 CS Teachers in the United States
216 Jan 10, 2023 None But Ourselves Can Free Our Minds: Critical Computational Literacy as a Pedagogy of Resistance
215 Jan 3, 2023 Curriculum Developer CRCS Self-Assessment Tool

2022 ARCHIVE

Week Date Link
214 Dec 20, 2022 Interest Development Theory in Computing Education: A Framework and Toolkit for Researchers and Designers
213 Dec 13, 2022 LevelUp – Automatic Assessment of Block-Based Machine Learning Projects for AI Education
212 Nov 29, 2022 Examining Equity in Computer Science Access and Participation in NYC Schools
211 Nov 22, 2022 Making Computer Science Accessible
210 Nov 15, 2022 The Case for Alternative Endpoints in Computing Education
209 Nov 8, 2022 How block-based, text-based, and hybrid block/text modalities shape novice programming practices
208 Nov 1, 2022 Recruiting K-12 youth into computer science: insights from a multi-year research project
207 Oct 25, 2022 The Big Book of Computing Content
206 Oct 18, 2022 Layla and the Bots: Happy Paws YouTube readalouds: Part 1 and Part 2
205 Oct 11, 2022 2022 State of Computer Science Education: Understanding our National Imperative
204 Oct 4, 2022 A Call for a Humanistic Stance Toward K–12 Data Science Education
203 Sept 27, 2022 What (and Who) is Holding Women Back in Tech?
202 Sept 20, 2022 Why and What to Teach: AI Curriculum for Elementary School
201 Sept 13, 2022 Priming the Computer Science Teacher Pump: Integrating Computer Science Education into Schools of Education
200 Sept 6, 2022 Special Presentation by Ness Blackbird: Integrating Science and Text-based Coding in Eighth Grade Science Class (draft)
199 Aug 30, 2022 A Facilitator’s Guide to Family Creative Learning: the ScratchJr Edition and optional accompanying academic paper: Opportunities and Limitations of Construction Kits in Culturally Responsive Computing Contexts: Lessons from ScratchJr and Family Creative Learning
198 Aug 23, 2022 Through the Looking Glass: Computer Science Education and the Unintended Consequences of Broadening Participation Policy Efforts
197 Aug 16, 2022 Gender stereotypes about interests start early and cause gender disparities in computer science and engineering
196 Aug 9, 2022 Exploring Students’ Understanding of the Concept of Algorithm: Levels of Abstraction
195 Aug 2, 2022 Ethnocomputing with Electronic Textiles: Culturally Responsive Open Design to Broaden Participation in Computing in American Indian Youth and Communities
194 July 26, 2022 “A Key to Reducing Inequities in Like, AI, is by Reducing Inequities Everywhere First”: Emerging Critical Consciousness in a Co-Constructed Secondary CS Classroom
193 July 19, 2022 Action Fractions: The Design and Pilot of an Integrated Math+CS Elementary Curriculum Based on Learning Trajectories
192 July 12, 2022 Exploring Design Choices to Support Novices’ Example Use During Creative Open-Ended Programming
191 July 5, 2022 Traversing the Gaps: An Afrofuturist Approach to Social Change Through Dreaming in Science Fiction and STEM/Computer Science Education 
190 June 28, 2022 A Framework for Designing Contextualized Computing Curriculum
189 June 21, 2022 Detecting Struggling Students from Interactive Ebook Data: A Case Study Using CSAwesome
188 June 14, 2022 Two-Computer Pair Programming: Exploring a Feedback Intervention to improve Collaborative Talk in Elementary Students
187 June 7, 2022 What Makes a “Computer Science Person”? Minoritized Students’ Sense of Identity in APCSP Classrooms
186 May 31, 2022 Integrating Computing through Task-Specific Programming for Disciplinary Relevance: Considerations and Examples
185 May 24, 2022 Practical programming in computing education
184 May 17, 2022 Student Experience in a Student-Centered Peer Instruction Classroom
183 May 10, 2022 The Role of Translanguaging in Computational Literacies
182 May 3, 2022 Breaking the Code: Confronting Racism in Computer Science through Community, Criticality, and Citizenship
181 Apr 26, 2022 English Language Learners in Computer Science Education: A Scoping Review
180 Apr 19, 2022 Report of the Spanish Computing Scientific Society on Computing Education in Pre-University Stages and Is computer science really disappearing from Baccalaureate? (In Spanish)
179 Apr 12, 2022 Unplugged Computing and Semantic Waves: Analysing Crazy Characters
178 Apr 5, 2022 How a computer scientist fights bias in algorithms (NPR interview + comic)
177 Mar 29, 2022 Applying the CAPE framework to measure equity and inform policy in computer science education PDF
176 Mar 22, 2022 A Tale of Two CTs (and a Revised Timeline for Computational Thinking)
175 Mar 15, 2022 Culturally Relevant CS Pedagogy- Theory and Practice
174 Mar 8, 2022 Coding in Primary Grades Boosts Children’s Executive Functions
173 Mar 1, 2022 Conceptualizing AI literacy: An exploratory review
172 Feb 22, 2022 Defining and Designing Computer Science Education in a K12 Public School District 
171 Feb 15, 2022 Teaching computer programming with PRIMM: a sociocultural perspective 
170 Feb 8, 2022 Counter-hegemonic Computing: Toward Computer Science Education for Value Generation and Emancipation
169 Feb 1, 2022 Finding time for computer science in the elementary school day: a quasi- experimental study of a transdisciplinary problem-based learning approach
168 Jan 25, 2022 Concepts before coding: non-programming interactives to advance learning of introductory programming concepts in middle school
167 Jan 18, 2022 To What Extent Are Students With Disabilities Included in K-12 Computer Science Education?
166 Jan 11, 2022 Project MoveSMART: Integrating Physical Activity and Computer Science Learning in Elementary School Classrooms
165 Jan 4, 2022 2021 State of Computer Science Education: Accelerating Action Through Advocacy

2021 ARCHIVE

164 Dec 21, 2021 Machine learning for human learners: opportunities, issues, tensions and threats
163 Dec 14, 2021  Code Comprehension Strategies (Blog post by Phil Bagge)
162 Dec 7, 2021 Preparing School Leaders to Advance Equity in Computer Science Education
161 Nov 30, 2021  Physical Computing for Children: Shifting the Pendulum Back to Papertian Ideals
160 Nov 23, 2021 The Future of Problem Solving with Data and Intelligence: Increasing Artificial Intelligence and Data Science Education Across the US
159 Nov 16, 2021 We Tell These Stories to Survive: Towards Abolition in Computer Science Education
158 Nov 9, 2021 The Big Book of Computing Pedagogy (Chapter: “Challenge Misconceptions” pp102-113)
157 Nov 2, 2021  Rethinking Perkins to Expand Access to K-12 Computer Science
156 Oct 26, 2021 Computer Science for Multilingual Students
155 Oct 19, 2021 Teaching Explicit Programming Strategies to Adolescents
154 Oct 12, 2021 K-12 Cybersecurity Learning Standards
153 Oct 5, 2021 Twenty Things to do with a Computer (Papert & Solomon 1971)
152 Sept 28, 2021 California Computer Science Education Policy: Contributing Factors to Success and Opportunities for Further Progress
151 Sept 21, 2021 Implementation and Assessment of Teamwork in Computer Science Education
150 Sept 14, 2021 Measuring actual learning versus feeling of learning in response to being actively engaged in the classroom
149 Sept 7, 2021 Hindsight 2020: Guidebook for Virtual Professional Development for Computer Science Teachers
148 Aug 31, 2021 A New Model for Weaving Responsible Computing Into Courses Across the CS Curriculum
147 Aug 24, 2021 PBS or Netflix
146 Aug 17, 2021 MAADS: Mixed-Methods Approach for the Analysis of Debugging Sequences of Beginner Programmers
145 Aug 10, 2021 The Agile Educator Guide: An Agile Framework for Modern Education
144 Aug 3, 2021 The Future of Programming
143 Jul 27, 2021 CS Policy to Practice: Understanding Emerging Approaches to State-Level Computer Science Education Policy Design in the United States
142 Jul 20, 2021 Teaching how to teach computational thinking
141 Jul 13, 2021 Empowering K-12 Students with Disabilites to Learn Computational Thinking and Computer Programming
140 Jul 6, 2021 Physical Java Memory Models (presentation notes by Colleen Lewis) and 5-minute Video
139 Jun 29, 2021 The Effect of Reading Code Aloud on Comprehension: An Empirical Study with School Students
138 Jun 22, 2021 Many Small Programs in CS1: Usage Analysis from Multiple Universities
137 Jun 15, 2021 The CS Teacher Landscape: Results from a Nationwide Teacher Survey
136 Jun 8, 2021 Block Model: an educational model of program comprehension as a tool for a scholarly approach to teaching
135 Jun 1, 2021 How Early Does the CS Gender Gap Emerge? A Study of Collaborative Problem Solving in 5th Grade Computer Science or CSK8 Podcast
134 May 25, 2021 Teacher implementation profiles for integrating computational thinking into elementary mathematics and science instruction
133 May 18, 2021 Developing an Interdisciplinary Data Science Program
132 May 11, 2021 Supporting Diverse Learners in K-8 Computational Thinking with TIPP&SEE
131 May 4, 2021 Exploring Novice Programmers’ Hint Requests in an Intelligent Block-Based Coding Environment
130 Apr 27, 2021 Evolving a K-12 Curriculum for Integrating Computer Science into Mathematics
129 Apr 20, 2021 Teaching Computer Science through Problems, not Solutions
128 Apr 13, 2021 The Effects of Providing Starter Projects in Open-Ended Scratch Activities
127 Apr 6, 2021 Cultivating Interest and Competencies in Computing: Authentic Experiences and Design Factors
126 Mar 30, 2021 Development and Preliminary Validation of the Assessment of Computing for Elementary Students (ACES)
125 Mar 23, 2021 Critical Ancestral Computing: A Culturally Relevant Computer Science Education
124 Mar 16, 2021 Planning K-8 Computer Science through the UDL Framework
123 Mar 9, 2021 “You don’t do your hobby as a job”: Stereotypes of Computational Labor and their Implications for CS Education
122 Mar 2, 2021 Improving Middle School Students’ Computer Science Knowledge and Engagement Through Creative Online Programming Projects
121 Feb 23, 2021 Comprehension of computer code relies primarily on domain-general executive brain regions Note: this article is incredibly long. Read the pop-sci summary instead: >To the brain, reading computer code is not the same as reading language
120 Feb 16, 2021 Design to Disrupt: Making Space for Every Student in CS
119 Feb 9, 2021 From Theory Bias to Theory Dialogue: Embracing Cognitive, Situated, and Critical Framings of Computational Thinking in K-12 CS Education
118 Feb 2, 2021 Infusing Cooperative Learning into AP Computer Science Principles Courses to Promote Engagement and Diversity
117 Jan 26, 2021 A theory of instruction for introductory programming skills
116 Jan 19, 2021 Design Studios for K-12 Computing Education
115 Jan 12, 2021 Broadening participation and success in AP CS A
114 Jan 5, 2021 Relating Natural Language Aptitude to Individual Differences in Learning Programming Languages

2020 ARCHIVE

113 Dec 15, 2020 Why Computing Belongs within the Social Sciences
112 Dec 8, 2020 Teacher Perspectives on COVID-19’s Impact on K-12 Computer Science Instruction
111 Dec 1, 2020 Integrating Computing in School Subjects: A Conceptual Framework for Design and Analysis
110 Nov 24, 2020 A Multi-institutional Study of Peer Instruction in Introductory Computing
109 Nov 17, 2020 To Scratch or not to Scratch? A controlled experiment comparing plugged first and unplugged first programming lessons
108 Nov 10, 2020 Universal Design for learning CS (podcast: starts at 6 minutes)
107 Oct 27, 2020 Reducing withdrawal and failure rates in introductory programming with subgoal labeled worked examples
106 Oct 20, 2020 2020 State of Computer Science Education: Illuminating Disparities
105 Oct 13, 2020 Education in the Pandemic & the Potential for Computational Thinking
104 Oct 6, 2020 Translating Culturally Relevant Pedagogy to Computer Science (Video)
103 Sept 29, 2020 Hedy: A Gradual Language for Programming Education — Choice of paper or video.
102 Sept 22, 2020 Shriram Krishnamurthi, Teaching Computational Thinking
101 Sept 15, 2020 CS Equity Guide 2.0
100 Sept 8, 2020 Exploring Student Behavior Using the TIPP+SEE Strategy
99 Sept 1, 2020 Putting students on the path to learning: The case for fully guided instruction and Mark Guzdial’s take
98 Aug 25, 2020 Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles: Searching for Equity in a Two-Tiered Solution to Underrepresentation
97 Aug 18, 2020 Unfold studio: supporting critical literacies of text and code
96 Aug 11, 2020 Improving explanations and learning activities in computing using semantic waves
95 Aug 4, 2020 Measuring Computational Thinking Teaching Efficacy Beliefs of Preservice Elementary Teachers
94 July 28, 2020 The Teacher Accessibility, Equity, and Content (TEC) Rubric for Evaluating Computing Curricula
Note: above paper paywalled, read this instead: Helping teachers make equitable decisions: effects of the TEC Rubric on teachers’ evaluations of a computing curriculumAnd a link straight to the TEC Rubric itself.
93 July 21, 2020 A New Pedagogy to Address the Unacknowledged Failure of American Secondary CS Education
Mark Guzdial’s response
92 July 14, 2020 A Closer Look at Tracing, Explaining and Code Writing Skills in the Novice Programmer Our two-year anniversary!
91 July 7, 2020 Assessing Creativity in Computing Classrooms
90 June 30, 2020 Design Principles Behind Beauty and Joy of Computing
89 June 23, 2020 The Computer as Toolsmith II
88 June 16, 2020 How the Tech Sector Could Move in One Direction
87 June 9, 2020 When Twice as Good Isn’t Enough: The Case for Cultural Competence in Computing [Washington 2020]
86 June 2, 2020 Development of a Lean Computational Thinking Abilities Assessment for Middle Grades Students
85 May 26, 2020 CSforALL Webinar: Supporting Equitable CSed in Schools During COVID
84 May 19, 2020 Scratch and Google Blockly: How Girls’ Programming Skills and Attitudes are Influenced
83 May 12, 2020 CANCELLED
82 May 5, 2020 In the Black Mirror
81 April 28, 2020 The Agile Classroom: Embracing an Agile Mindset In Education
80 April 21, 2020 Tailor your teaching with our Computer Science Teaching Tips!
79 April 14, 2020 Equitable Practices
Remote Teaching Guide
78 April 7, 2020 Perspective | How inequities in computer science prompted three educators to innovate
77 Mar 31, 2020 Attitudes of Pre-service Teachers Toward Computational Thinking in Education
76 Mar 24, 2020 Attitudes of Pre-service Teachers Toward Computational Thinking in Education
75 Mar 17, 2020 Standards for CS Teachers
74 Mar 17, 2020 Standards for CS Teachers
73 Mar 10, 2020 The CS-Ed Podcast: Episode 3
72 Feb 25, 2020 Making Computer Science Education Universal for All Students
71 Feb 18, 2020 SMCOE closed for Presidents’ Day
70 Feb 11, 2020 CANCELLED due to scheduling conflict
69 Feb 4, 2020 The Neglected Middle Novice Programmer: Reading and Writing without Abstracting
68 Jan 28, 2020 Don’t Rely on Cute Apps and Games to Teach Coding. Turn to Your Students Instead.
67 Jan 21, 2020 Computing Education Lessons Learned from the 2010’s: What I Got Wrong
66 Jan 14, 2020  
65 Jan 7, 2020 No reading this week! Let’s have a Year in Review, where we look back at what we learned in 2019. Peruse the archives below to refresh your memory.

2019 ARCHIVE

64 Dec 17, 2019 Designing Computer-Supported Complex Systems Curricula for the Next Generation Science Standards in High School Science Classrooms
63 Nov 19, 2019 Computational Thinking and Programming Challenges with Eljakim Schrijvers
62 Nov 12, 2019 Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence
61 Nov 5, 2019 Automation and Artificial Intelligence: How machines are affecting people and places
60 Oct 29, 2019 50 Years of CS1 at SIGCSE: A Review of the Evolution of Introductory Programming Education Research
59 Oct , 2019 No reading group!
58 Oct, 2019 No reading group!
57 Oct, 2019 No reading group!
56 Sept 30, 2019 Tools and environments
55 Sept 23, 2019 “No girls allowed” in your school’s software?
54 Sept 16, 2019 A Systems Change Approach to CS Education: Creating Rubrics for School System Implementation
53 Sept 9, 2019 No reading today
52 Sept 3, 2019 Transitioning from Block-Based to Text-Based Programming Languages
51 Aug 27, 2019 Teacher Spotlight: Mendez High’s Alicia Morris on her ‘Computer Science for All’ initiative and letting innovation take place by ‘not being so risk-averse’
50 Aug, 2019 Technical Diffulties
49 Aug 15, 2019 Embed computational thinking into PBL
48 Aug 8, 2019 Page Not Found
47 Aug 1, 2019 THE BOT PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE AND NIKE HAS THE ONLY ANSWER (SO FAR)
46 July 25, 2019 Experience Report: Peer Instruction in Introductory Computing
45 July 18, 2019 Computer Science Pedagogical Content Knowledge: Characterizing Teacher Performance
44 July 11, 2019 COMPUTER SCIENCE IN CALIFORNIA’S SCHOOLS: An Analysis of Access, Enrollment, and Equity
43 July 4, 2019 A Personal Computer for Children of All Ages
42 June 27, 2019 England’s computing curriculum: A clash of values, beliefs and purpose
41 June 20, 2019 Why kindergartners need to learn to code
40 June 20, 2019 California Computer Science Strategic Implementation Plan
39 June 5, 2019 Building an inclusive and equitable CS system in Ithaca NY, lessons learned on the way to CSforALL
38 May 29, 2019 Page Not Found
37 May 22, 2019 Situated Computational Thinking
36 May 15, 2019 CS Equity Guide
35 May 8, 2019 Teaching Computer Science Through Problems Not Solutions
33 April 24, 2019 Embedding ethics in computer science curriculum
32 April 17, 2019 Teaching Coding to Kids: What Programming Language Should We Use?
31 April 10, 2019 Piaget’s Constructivism, Papert’s Constructionism: What’s the difference?
30 April 3, 2019 Community Of Practice
29 Mar 27, 2019 ENGINEERING A BETTER SOLUTION: PALY AND THE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION SHORTAGE
28 Mar 20, 2019 Teaching objects-first in introductory computer science
27 Mar 20, 2019 Computer Science is For Everyone
26 Mar 27, 2019 Pre-empted for community practice
25 Feb 27, 2019 The Two Codes Your Kids Need to Know
24 Feb 20, 2019 How Art and Dance are Making Computer Science Culturally Relevant
23 Feb 13, 2019 AP Computer Science Principles Course Description
22 Jan 30, 2019 Melinda Gates and Fei-Fei Li Want to Liberate AI from “Guys with Hoodies”
21 Jan 23, 2019 Let’s Stop Thinking about THE Design Process
20 Jan 17, 2019 Computational Thinking for Educators
19 Jan 10, 2019 Pre-empted for working group
18 Jan 3, 2019 To Fix the Gender Gap, Fix CS Education

2018 ARCHIVE

17 Dec 13, 2018 Scratch 3.0
16 Dec 6, 2018 Pre-empted for working group
15 Nov 29, 2018 “Supporting School Districts to Drive their Own Visions of CSforAll”
14 Nov, 2018 Pre-empted for CSTA-SMC
14 Nov, 2018 Pre-empted for CSTA-SMC
13 2018 Pre-empted for working group
12 Sept 27, 2018 a paper written by Paulo Blikstein (Stanford University)
11 Sept 20, 2018 CA Strategic Implementation Plan
10 Sept 13, 2018 Stereotypes as gatekeepers: increasing girls’ interest in computer science and engineering by diversifying stereotypes
9 Sept 6, 2018 Constructivism in Computer Science Education
8 2018 pre-empted for Peninsula/South Bay Maker Educator Meetup
7 Aug 23, 2018 American Success in a Digital Future: The Importance of K-12 Computer Science Education
6 Aug 16, 2018 Pair Programming Strategies for Middle School Girls
4 Aug 2, 2018 Computer Science Teacher Preparation is Critical
3 Jul 26, 2018 Bringing Computational Thinking to K-12
2 Jul 19, 2018 the transition from blocks to text
1 Jul 12, 2018 Roy Pea’s 1986 paper