Anne Ottenbreit-Leftwich

Indiana University Bloomington | IUB · Department of Instructional Systems Technology

Objectives . Computer Science (CS) education has become increasingly prevalent in elementary schools because of multiple rationales, such as the importance of computational literacy and the growing demand for CS-related workforce preparation. As elementary CS standards continue to be adopted by many states, more examples and voices from the field m...

This study aims to explore the middle schoolers' common naive conceptions of AI and the evolution of these conceptions during an AI summer camp. Data were collected from 14 middle school students (12 boys and 2 girls) from video observations and learning artifacts. The findings revealed 6 naive conceptions about AI concepts: (1) AI was the same as...

Background Despite ongoing calls for prioritizing K-12 computer science (CS) education, an enduring gender gap exists. Objective We explored one high school CS program where female participation was consistently higher than state averages to better understand how the program was developed. Method Using a case study method, data were collected ove...

With accelerating advances in artificial intelligence, it is clear that introducing K-12 students to AI is essential for preparation to interact with and potentially develop AI technologies. To succeed as the workers, creators, and innovators of the future, we argue students should encounter core concepts of AI as early as elementary school. Howeve...

While there has been an increased interest in making computer science a core K-12 academic subject in the United States, there is a shortage of K-12 teachers who can teach computer science. Experts in computer science education have expressed the importance of establishing clear expectations for who should be able to teach CS. To enhance the qualit...

Computer science education has been making dramatic increases in recent years. Across the US, different states are advancing computer science education through different policies. However, as a state makes choices to advance computer science education, it is critical to consider how these policies will broaden participation in computing (BPC). Many...

Recent years have seen the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in every facet of society. The ubiquity of AI has led to an increasing demand to integrate AI learning experiences into K-12 education. Early learning experiences incorporating AI concepts and practices are critical for students to better understand, evaluate, and utilize AI...

This study aims to investigate the licensure status of computer science teachers in Indiana by examining teacher licensure data as it relates to school locale and school demographics across the state. Results indicate that there is no significant difference in the presence of teachers with CS-Related or Approved licenses across schools with various...

The primary goals of this research were to investigate the development of computational thinking (CT) skills among elementary students and to identify areas for improvement in their CT practices. Empirical investigations, accomplished in a learner-centered, problem-based learning curriculum for sixth-graders, sought to examine student proficiency i...

Many stakeholders have suggested that if girls are not engaged in computer science at an early age, the field of computer science (and computing-related fields) will continue to lack gender diversity. We need more explorations of how curriculum impacts girls’ interest in computer science at the elementary level. The focus of this research project w...

K-12 online learning can be advantageous in a variety of circumstances, including inclement weather days and emergency remote teaching. With the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, many K-12 districts may consider ways to incorporate online learning into their regular school plans after they resume face-to-face instruction. However, the mos...

This study investigated how a computer science (CS) problem-based curriculum impacted elementary students’ CS learning and attitudes. Four sixth-grade teachers and 200 of their students participated in the study. Researchers developed a CS curriculum in collaboration with the teachers, which consisted of two main units: (1) an introduction to block...

The aim of this multiple case study was to investigate the influences of professional development coaching on three elementary school teachers' technology integration practices and their coaching experiences. We found that authentic coaching experiences, including modeling and hands-on activities, were considered supportive for teachers' technology...

Artificial intelligence has emerged as a technology that is profoundly reshaping society and enabling rapid improvements in science, engineering, and mathematics, as well as information technology itself. This has generated increased demand for fostering an AI-literate populace as well as a growing recognition of the importance of promoting K-12 st...

This multiple case study describes a year-long implementation of a research-based coaching model designed to support changes in elementary teachers’ technology integration practices. We examined coaches’ perceptions of the model through the use of coaches’ questionnaires, reflection notes, and meeting notes. Teachers’ coaching experiences were also...

The purpose of this study is to identify secondary computer science (CS) teachers’ pedagogical needs in the United States. Participants were selected from secondary teachers who were teaching CS courses or content in a school setting (public, private, or charter) or an after-school program during the time of data collection. This is a qualitative s...

Teachers’ ability to design meaningful uses of technology for all learners in any classrooms has a potential to narrow digital gaps among K-12 students. However, we know little about whether teachers are prepared to consider these issues when making technology integration decisions. This study explored preservice teachers’ knowledge use and their c...

Exploring goals, perspectives, and challenges.

The focus of this research project was to examine how problem based learning (PBL) impacts students' interest and knowledge in computer science (CS) at the elementary level. By focusing on a problem that emphasizes social activism, we hypothesized that PBL CS could increase interest for students. We employed an iterative design-based research appro...

During the 2018 Professors in Instructional Design (PIDT) Conference, faculty representing over a dozen institutions met to discuss curricular initiatives that were being implemented across programs, and the challenges and benefits of these initiatives. The discussion focused on several areas, including: interdisciplinary/multidisciplinary programs...

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the next evolution of our quest for technology integration, one that moves away from the product of teacher decision making (i.e., the type of use) towards their process of decision making. After presenting a brief history of our field’s quest, we bring together three ideas about teacher decision making wit...

This article examines the instructional practices used to teach the computer science (CS) standard of computer devices and systems to undergraduate preservice teachers (PSTs). With computer science education (CSE) gaining an international focus, there is a need to explore a variety of instructional practices used to teach these topics. This descrip...

We introduce an analytic approach to examine preservice teachers' technology integration learning as a process mapped against their technology‐related course experience in a technology integration course. The approach assumes that (1) the preservice teachers have common course learning experience; (2) their data are collected pre‐ and post‐course a...

How can teachers be inspired to integrate technology properly into their teaching? As technology has been playing a more crucial role in classrooms, it is highly necessary to investigate how teachers perceive the benefit of technology and feel confident to use it. The present study focused on teachers’ self-efficacy and belief regarding mobile comp...

Understanding more about the relationship between teachers’ content-specific pedagogical beliefs and practices with regard to their technology will help teacher educators prepare teachers to integrate technology to support teaching and learning. This study explored the relationship between English as foreign language (EFL) teachers’ content-specifi...

With the permeation of the Internet in teacher’s personal and professional life, teachers are going online to connect, share ideas and expand their learning opportunities. This qualitative study focuses on the use of digital applications that leverage opportunities for teachers in the design phase, that is, at the time they are developing and curat...

Teachers have perceived technology professional development (tech-PD) as ineffective, particularly when it does not address individual needs. Researchers need to examine how tech-PD experiences are planned, implemented, and evaluated. Typically K-12 technology leaders (e.g., technology coaches) are responsible for planning, implementing, and evalua...

In this study, we examined a group of four teachers who completed extra educational technology coursework and field experiences during their teacher education programs to determine how their technology integration knowledge, self-efficacy beliefs, intentions, and practices evolved over time. We conducted interviews and evaluated data sources at thr...

Research has identified that pre-service teachers have concerns about technology integration (e.g., their future school would lack technology resources; technology is not applicable in their subject areas). Mentoring has been highlighted as a means of overcoming these concerns. In this study, we present and investigate one strategy - an asynchronou...

This study presents the design of a Computer Education Licensure (CEL) program based on a situated learning theory framework. The study captures instructors' design considerations while designing the courses in the CEL program based on this theoretical framework. The study also captures preservice teachers and alumni perceptions regarding the value...

Teacher dispositions reflect multiple internal factors that contribute to a teacher’s decisions/behaviors in any given situation. There have been many studies focused on which dispositional factors lead to teachers’ use of information and communications technology (ICT). Teachers’ integration of ICT has been assessed in a variety of different ways...

Supporting change in teacher practice: Examining shifts of teachers' professional development preferences and needs for technology integration. Studies have shown that when K-12 school districts implement a new technology initiative, it is not always accompanied by effective teacher professional development (PD). Many teachers have indicated that e...

Background: Stand-alone educational technology courses have long faced the challenge of connecting preservice teachers to real-world problems of using technology for teaching and learning. Although many studies investigated the benefits of service-learning in teacher education, few were conducted in stand-alone educational technology courses. Purpo...

This study examined 12 preservice teachers’ understanding of computational thinking while planning and implementing a computational thinking activity for fifth grade students. The preservice teachers were enrolled in an add-on computer education license that would certify them to teach computer courses in addition to their primary major area (11 el...

Although many elementary schools have adopted one-to-one programs, we still lack information on how teachers integrate iPads or other tablets into their daily instruction, especially in early childhood settings. The purpose of this case study was to present how four experienced iPad-using early childhood teachers integrated one-to-one iPads into th...

This review was designed to further our understanding of the link between teachers’ pedagogical beliefs and their educational uses of technology. The synthesis of qualitative findings integrates the available evidence about this relationship with the ultimate goal being to facilitate the integration of technology in education. A meta-aggregative ap...

The purpose of the study is to portray the development of a beginning first-grade teacher’s development when using during her first year of teaching. Through recognizing beginning teachers’ practices and hearing their stories, we will be able to gain a better understanding of how the beginning elementary teacher understands and creates meaning from...

Building a trust-based relationship with faculty is one of the most important attributes of effective Instructional Technology Consultants (ITC) in order to integrate emerging technologies into higher education. Utilizing a multiple case study research design, four experienced ITCs at a large urban research university located in the Midwest showed...

Previous research has established the importance of teachers’ beliefs to classroom practices including teachers’ choices of instructional strategies (Smith & Southerland, 2007; Wilkins, 2008) and assessment methods (National Association of State Boards of Education, 2009), as well as their selection of instructional resources (Speer, 2008), and tec...

Within the United States, there has been a call for timely, effective, and targeted communication between home and school environments to increase student achievement and engage parents (Project Tomorrow, 2011a). Although teachers can use websites as a means of communication to connect with parents online (Dunn, 2011; Janicki & Chandler-Olcott, 201...

This study explored early childhood teachers’ instructional practices under the context of 1:1 iPad initiative. Two kindergarten and two 1st grade teachers teaching in a Midwest elementary school participated in the study. In-depth interviews and classroom observations were conducted to understand their instructional practices and perception of usi...

Exploring the Current Landscape of Technology, Instruction, Cognition, and Learning

Researchers have called for renewed efforts in exploring both what knowledge should be taught in preservice teacher education programs with regard to technology. In addition, researchers have also called for renewed efforts on how to best prepare teachers to effectively use that knowledge to support teaching and learning. There were multiple ways t...

Polytechnic instruction has a common place in the Cuban education system (Gasperini, 2000). In polytechnic institutions, teachers leverage technological tools to prepare students for labor market competences. This case study examined a polytechnic institution in Cuba to consider how teachers defined educational technology. Based on teacher question...

The purpose of this multiple case study was to critically evaluate the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework by examining the convergent and discriminant validity associated with two popular TPACK measures. Twenty-seven preservice teachers completed the Schmidt et al. (2009) survey and their planning documents were analyzed...

Educators have been striving to achieve meaningful technology use in our K-12 classrooms for over 30 years. Yet, despite significant investments of time and money in infrastructure, training, and support “we have few assurances that [educators] are able to use technology for teaching and learning” (NEA, 2008, p. 1). In this article, we call for a s...

Early studies indicated that teachers’ enacted beliefs, particularly in terms of classroom technology practices, often did not align with their espoused beliefs. Researchers concluded this was due, at least in part, to a variety of external barriers that prevented teachers from using technology in ways that aligned more closely with their beliefs....

Researchers have called for renewed efforts in exploring both what knowledge should be taught in preservice teacher education programs with regard to technology, and how to best prepare teachers to effectively use that knowledge to support teaching and learning. This study compared the importance of technology topics from teacher educators and teac...

The objective of this chapter is to describe a case study of an educational technology course that uses subject-specific contexts to address preservice teachers' development of TPACK. Many have indicated that in order for technology knowledge to be transferred to the classroom, teachers need to find the knowledge being taught relevant to their futu...

This chapter described a case study of informed educational technology design. The chapter discussed how a conceptual guide for technology teacher experiences (Ottenbreit-Leftwich, Glazewski, & Newby, 2010) informed educational technology design in a course intended to prepare future teacher students to use technology. These students are introduced...

Prior research has indicated that all U.S. teacher preparation programs provide instruction on technology integration within coursework and related requirements. This study provides a more detailed investigation into the types and content of technology experiences U.S. teacher preparation programs offer teachers in training. The researchers analyze...

Despite increases in computer access and technology training, technology is not being used to support the kinds of instruction believed to be most powerful. In this paper, we examine technology integration through the lens of the teacher as an agent of change: What are the necessary characteristics, or qualities, that enable teachers to leverage te...

Despite the challenges inherent in adopting problem-based learning (PBL) in the middle school classroom, successful PBL teachers are able to find suitable solutions. In this exploratory study we examined the perceptions and practices of five successful middle school PBL teachers regarding the specific difficulties encountered with PBL and the strat...

Exemplary technology-using teachers achieve meaningful technology use in learner-centered, constructive environments despite the presence of both internal and external barriers. In this study, we discuss factors that enabled teachers to overcome these barriers, as identified by 25 winners of statewide technology teacher awards. In addition, we expl...

Without Abstract

In order to establish a theory of practitioner perceptions of technology integration, this study used a grounded theoretical framework to examine how teachers view and use technology, as well as the experiences that influence their development of technology integration expertise. Technology integration was defined by eight expert technology-using t...