Administrator-Led Integration Model

PD Model

The efforts of Case Model 4 were focused on a subset of K–4 schools in New York City within a larger national network of Title I charter elementary, middle, and high schools. The vision of CT implementation for this model was developed and led by a network of administrators, including the CS STEM and science director for all New York City-based schools.

Year 1: Implementation efforts started by having the science teachers in each school (approximately 2) participate in PD that first exposed teachers to CT concepts, vocabulary, and practices, followed by learning how CT fits within the existing science curriculum.

The PD was delivered to teachers in two sessions:

Session 1 was hosted by an outside CS/CT PD provider.

Session 2 was hosted by the schools’ network of science and STEM education directors. This session instructed teachers how CT already had natural connections to the existing science curriculum and how CT could augment existing curriculum.

Year 2 (post-COVID-19): The administrative team expanded the CT efforts to include an interdisciplinary focus on CT in ELA and math units. Computational thinking was defined by the schools’ administration before teachers engaged in the PD sessions.

  • PD provider to school ratio: 1 to 5
  • Years the school participated in PD program: 2019–2022
  • Primary focus of PD: Teacher self-efficacy and lesson implementation
School Description

Because Case Model 4 comprised a network of eight K–4 schools located throughout NYC, one school was selected as the focus school for research efforts. The focus school was a K–12 school located in Manhattan. The school has a large Hispanic student population, although very few students (8.70%) are English language learners.

  • School funding type: Charter
  • Grades: K-12
  • School size/enrollment: 1119
  • Race/ethnicity: 71% Hispanic
  • English language learners: 8.7%
  • Poverty and economic need: 87.6%
  • Borough: Manhattan
Pathway to Schoolwide Integration

Initially, the plan was to integrate CT into all K–4 science units. However, closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic prevented this from happening, and teachers were only able to teach a few units. The following year, teachers selected only one unit to teach.

  • Vision of schoolwide integration developed by: School administrative team
  • Content Areas: Science, ELA, and math
  • Grade levels: All grade levels in the school
Lesson and Assessment Practices

The Year 1 plan focused on integrating CT within the schools’ existing science curricula. Two units per grade band were modified by an internal STEM administrative team, and teachers received PD by the STEM team before implementing lessons. Based on feedback from teachers, the units were further refined by a second team of internal CT writers to include a more explicit focus on CT skills.

All of the units with CT were project-based, and students wrote about or presented their project after each unit was done.

Teachers used these project presentations and students’ reflection journals to evaluate the CT concepts that students reported having used, paying particular attention to the CT vocabulary students used as part of the problem-solving process.

  • Lesson development of the school network: Administrators and STEM curriculum team
  • Primary instructional approaches used in lessons: Using academic language and using computational tools and technology
  • Primary assessment practices used: Final project presentations, student reflections, and CT vocabulary
Structures for Sustainability

Since the administration developed the curriculum with the intention of it being used by other schools in the network, CT instruction is consistent and scalable across schools. In addition, since the school network CS STEM and science director is responsible for overseeing the professional learning for CT integration for teachers within multiple schools, any newly hired teacher will have the support and resources necessary to be trained to implement the curriculum. The developed PD materials are also able to be rolled over to support the expansion of any work. Lastly, the curriculum is being finalized and will be hosted on a public website to support implementation at additional schools.