Teacher Experiences of Learning Computing using a 21st Century Model of Computer Science Continuing Professional Development

Lorraine Fisher, Jake Rowan Byrne, Brendan Tangney

2016

Abstract

Computer Science (CS) is a subject which is perceived as a difficult to learn and to teach. Building on previous work (Fisher et al., 2015), which explored post-primary school teacher reactions to a social constructivist Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Programme in CS, this paper explores the same teachers’ experiences of learning CS during the workshops. The CS CPD workshops were delivered using the Bridge21 model of 21st century teaching and learning. This paper examines the extent to which the Bridge21 activity model proved effective in helping teachers learn computing knowledge and skills and explores teacher attitudes towards applying their new learning in the classroom. Nine workshops took place over the 2013/2014 academic year, resulting in 45 teaching hours and 110 teacher engagements. An exploratory case study approach informed data collection with comparative coding used to analyse results. Analysis indicates that peer-collaboration played an important role in assisting teachers develop computing knowledge and skills and that teachers intend to use the Bridge21 model to teach computing in their own classrooms.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Fisher L., Byrne J. and Tangney B. (2016). Teacher Experiences of Learning Computing using a 21st Century Model of Computer Science Continuing Professional Development . In Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU, ISBN 978-989-758-179-3, pages 273-280. DOI: 10.5220/0005906702730280

in Bibtex Style

@conference{csedu16,
author={Lorraine Fisher and Jake Rowan Byrne and Brendan Tangney},
title={Teacher Experiences of Learning Computing using a 21st Century Model of Computer Science Continuing Professional Development},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU,},
year={2016},
pages={273-280},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0005906702730280},
isbn={978-989-758-179-3},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF
JO - Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Computer Supported Education - Volume 2: CSEDU,
TI - Teacher Experiences of Learning Computing using a 21st Century Model of Computer Science Continuing Professional Development
SN - 978-989-758-179-3
AU - Fisher L.
AU - Byrne J.
AU - Tangney B.
PY - 2016
SP - 273
EP - 280
DO - 10.5220/0005906702730280