Computational Literacy Across Secondary Settings (CLASS) Program

Abstract

The California State University (CSU), Chico’s Computational Literacy Across Secondary Settings (CLASS) program, funded by a five-year Teaching Quality Partnership (TQP) grant in 2019, aimed to recruit, prepare, and retain highly qualified teachers in high-needs rural areas. A key feature of the program was the inclusion of Argument Driven Inquiry (ADI) and computational thinking (CT) into residents’ instruction. Over the program’s duration, SRI International evaluated the program’s implementation, teacher preparedness, and student outcomes using a mixed-methods research design.

Across the four years of implementation, all but one resident completed their master’s degrees and state credentialing requirements. Extensive training, mentorship, and wraparound supports helped residents feel prepared to serve as classroom teachers. Overall, mentor teachers, supervisors, principals, and CSU, Chico instructors also considered CLASS residents well-prepared to lead their own classrooms. Residents reported that programmatic supports, including the program’s collaborative approach, emphasis on co-planning and co-teaching alongside a mentor teacher, and cohort model positively influenced their teaching practices and preparation.

In addition, teachers understood and implemented ADI across subject areas, and alumni expressed continued interest in and use of ADI and CT in their classrooms. Student outcomes showed modest but positive trends in computational thinking skills, confidence, and interest, though these differences were not statistically significant. Taken together, the program’s emphasis on ADI and CT integration, combined with a supportive learning community and hands-on training, demonstrated the potential for preparing teachers to deliver inquiry-based instruction that supports computational thinking skills in students.

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