Day 1
01 Opener 02 Break 03 Model Lessons 04 Debug 05 Break 06 Focus on Equity 07 Break 08 Support 09 Lunch 10 Async 11 Planning 12 Barriers 13 Wrap Up

Session 12: Addressing Implementation Barriers

40 minutes

discussion-based

Purpose

The purpose of this session is for participants to proactively prepare for implementing CS Fundamentals courses in their classrooms by addressing the most common implementation barriers for CS Fundamentals courses, as well as those they may encounter that might be unique to their contexts.

Objectives

  • Participants will brainstorm strategies for addressing the most common implementation barriers.
  • Participants will identify unique barriers in their classrooms, school, and teaching practice.
  • Participants will identify concrete and reasonable strategies to address the barriers they have the power to influence.

Supplies & Prep

Facilitator Supplies:

Teacher Materials:

Agenda

Intro to Implementation Barriers (28 minutes)

Next Steps (12 minutes)

Facilitation Guide

Intro to Implementation Barriers (28 minutes)

(1 minute) Context

Remarks

This session is an opportunity to proactively prepare strategies to address the most common CS Fundamentals implementation barriers participants reported to have encountered:

  • Space to fit the lesson in during the school day
  • Time to plan and prepare to teach the curriculum
  • Managing different CS Fundamentals courses and resources across multiple grades
  • Knowledge and understanding of computer science

As well as individual and unique barriers we may each face. Together we will brainstorm strategies to address these barriers as well as unique barriers we might each encounter individually. Then, we will share our next steps in bringing and teaching CS Fundamentals to all of our students.

(7 minutes) Breakout Rooms: Common Barriers

Participants discuss implementation barrier statements on the designated slides with small groups of 3-4 people.

Facilitator Tip

Circulate between breakout rooms to provide participants with any support or answers to questions they may have during this time.

Share with participants they will be working in small groups to brainstorm possible solutions to address the most common implementation barriers written on their breakout room slide.

  • Suggest roles for each person in the small group to self select in addition to contributing to the group’s discussion: time keeper, writer, presenter, and discussion facilitator.

Transition: Remind participants the designated slides include prompts for the breakout room discussion.

Producers: Send groups of 3-4 participants to breakout rooms for seven minutes. Then bring participants back to the main room.

Circulate: Circulate the breakout rooms and provide support as needed.

(5 minutes) Whole Group Share Out

Participants return to the main room and a presenter from each small group shares key takeaways with the whole group. Provide opportunities for participants in other groups to ask questions and share additional strategies to be considered.

(8 minutes) Breakout Rooms: Unique Barriers

Participants discuss the discussion prompts on the designated slides with small groups of 3-4 people.

Facilitator Tip

Consider having an example ready to support participants with starting the activity before sending them to breakout rooms. Some examples may include:

  • Lack of support from their other teachers at their school, administrators, or district
  • Understanding the Code.org teaching and learning tools
  • Understanding the course resources (lesson plans,etc)

(2 minutes) Participants individually identify any additional implementation barriers they might encounter and share with their small group.

  • Participants write any additional implementation barriers on the designated slides.

(6 minutes) Others in the breakout room provide suggestions or ideas to help address these additional implementation barriers and write them on the designated slides.

  • Discussion Prompts:

    • Aside from the most common implementation barriers, what additional implementation barriers might you encounter when bringing CS Fundamentals courses back to your classroom?
    • What suggestions or ideas do you have to address these additional implementation barriers?

Transition: Remind participants the designated slides include prompts for the breakout room discussion.

Producers: Send groups of 3-4 participants to breakout rooms for eight minutes. Then bring participants back to the main room.

Circulate: Circulate the breakout rooms and provide support as needed.

Participants return to the main room and engage in a gallery walk reading through each group’s slides.

(5 minutes) Whole Group Share Out

Invite a few participants to share key takeaways from discussing and reading about unique implementation barriers.

Next Steps (12 minutes)

Remarks

Let’s take some time to reflect on the day and think about what we each may need in order to move forward with bringing CS Fundamentals to all of our students in equitable ways. During this time, be as specific as possible to be able to walk away with clear steps you can take after the workshop. Identifying barriers and actively working to address them is the work needed in support of equity in CS.

(5 minutes) Small Group Discussion

(5 minutes) Participants discuss the following prompts in breakout rooms with small groups of 3-4 people.

  • Prompts:
    • What barriers do you have the power to influence? What commitment are you ready to make in support of bringing CS Fundamentals to all of your students?
      • Be as specific as you can about your next steps that might include:
      • Requesting tech support or additional devices (access)
      • Changing classroom routines and procedures to make space for teaching CS Fundamentals to all students (access, diversity, inclusion)
      • Setting aside time to teach CS Fundamentals on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis
      • Collaborating with teachers, administrators or support staff
      • Other considerations not already listed

Transition: Remind participants the designated slides include prompts for the breakout room discussion.

Producers: Send groups of 3-4 participants to breakout rooms for five minutes. Then bring participants back to the main room.

Circulate: Circulate the breakout rooms and provide support as needed.

(3 minutes) Individual Reflection

Participants return to the main room. Participants individually write their responses to prompts on the designated slides.

(4 minutes) Summary

Briefly share common ideas, strategies, or themes overheard from circulating breakout rooms during the small group discussions and based on what participants shared on the designated slides.

Invite participants to clarify as needed during the summary.