Instructional Technology Initiative
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  • CS  Research-Practice-Partnerships

  • The Instructional Technology Initiative participates in two research-practice-partnerships (RPP) to support the expansion of computer science (CS) education locally, regionally, and nationally.

    Supporting Computer Science Access, Leadership and Equity in California (SCALE-CA)
    SCALE-CA was formed to ensure that Computer Science (CS) education across California is equitable, scalable, and sustainable. SCALE-CA argues that attention must be paid to three interlocking system-wide interventions at the: 1) classroom level through professional development for teachers, 2) district/county level through capacity building for school/district/Local Educational Agency (LEA) leaders, and 3) state level through activities that inform policymakers. Building on many years of prior collaboration with school districts across California who have been instrumental in launching CSforCA, together SCALE-CA will create a Networked Improvement Community (NIC) to scale teacher professional development, build capacity of education leaders for local implementation, and contribute to the research base to expand access to equity-minded CS teaching and learning opportunities across the state.

    L.A. Unified's role in SCALE-CA includes the following:

    • Actively contribute to the SCALE-CA mission and goals.
    • Contribute to the iterative development and delivery of a guidebook for administrators, with continued feedback from partners and other stakeholders.
    • Contribute to the iterative development and delivery of prototype of professional development for teachers, counselors, and administrators.
    • Contribute to the development and delivery of policy briefs.

    Researching Equity, Access, and Learning in CS Education (REAL-CS)
    REAL-CS was developed to highlight the voices and experiences of high school students historically underrepresented in CS who have had little to no prior experience with CS. This RPP endeavor is specifically focused on students’ perspectives—that are currently lacking in the CS educational research landscape—to understand their sense of engagement, identity, and agency in computer science contexts that are focused on broadening participation in CS for All, such as Exploring Computer Science and Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles.

    L.A. Unified's role in REAL-CS includes the following:

    • Collaborate with RPP group to create data collection protocols and jointly analyze data together.
    • Contribute to memorializing our learnings through publications and presentations to understand the nuance of student voice in CS.