Building a Virtual Community of Practice: Teacher Learning for Computational Thinking Infusion.

Area of Science:

• Education
• Computer Science Education
• Professional Development

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated rapid shifts to virtual professional development (PD) for educators.
• Teachers required support for integrating computational thinking (CT) into hybrid and digital teaching environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate middle and high school teachers' experiences with a virtual PD workshop, "Virtual Pivot."
• To identify effective design principles for virtual teacher PD focused on CT integration.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 151 teachers in a virtual PD workshop using asynchronous and synchronous activities.
• Data collected via pre-PD surveys, post-PD surveys, interviews, and six-month follow-up surveys.
• The PD incorporated explicit instruction on technological tools and collaborative scaffolds.

Main Results:

• Teachers reported positive experiences with elements such as virtual communities of practice, workshop structure, and support systems.
• Engagement and learning were supported by pre-PD and during-PD assistance, and digital badges.
• The study identified key components that facilitated teacher learning in a virtual setting.

Conclusions:

• Virtual Pivot successfully supported teachers in learning to integrate computational thinking.
• The findings offer insights into designing effective virtual PD for STEM education.
• This research contributes to understanding virtual PD's theoretical, methodological, and practical aspects.