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A Literature Review Examining Broadening Participation in Upper Elementary CS Education
Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE) Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
  • Umar Shehzad, Utah State University
  • Mimi Recker, Utah State University
  • Jody Clarke-Midura, Utah State University
Document Type
Conference Paper
Location
Toronto, ON, Canada
Publication Date
3-15-2023
Award Number
NSF, Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL) 2031382 and 1837224
Award Title
Collaborative Research: Supporting Rural Paraprofessional Educators and their Students with Computer Science Professional Learning and Expansively Framed Curriculum
Funding Agency

National Science Foundation, Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings (DRL)

Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
Disciplines
Abstract

Despite proliferated efforts to integrate computer science in elementary education, there is a dearth of studies that synthesize the current state of CS education research in formal educational contexts, specifically in upper elementary classrooms. Further, while numerous studies have investigated approaches and strategies that broaden participation in computing, the majority of them focus on secondary and post-secondary settings. The present study uses a systematic literature review process to review research conducted with students in formal classroom settings in grades 4, 5, and 6 and published since 2013. We review the research through two questions: What are barriers to broadening participation in CS in upper elementary (grades 4-6)? What instructional approaches and strategies help broaden participation in CS in upper elementary (grades 4-6)? A systematic search of the literature highlighted approaches used for broadening participation, including using various teaching media, designing scaffolds in instruction, and integrating into other subject areas. We conclude by identifying gaps in the research and identifying areas for further research.

Citation Information
Umar Shehzad, Mimi Recker, and Jody Clarke-Midura. 2023. A Literature Review Examining Broadening Participation in Upper Elementary CS Education. In Proceedings of the 54th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 1 (SIGCSE 2023), March 15–18, 2023, Toronto, ON, Canada. ACM, New York, NY, USA, 7 pages. https://doi.org/10.1145/3545945.3569873