Building Equitable Computing Classrooms through Culturally Responsive Professional Development

Computer science education from a young age has been demonstrated to be a predictor of students joining STEM related careers, potentially closing the gap of underrepresented women and minority groups. Systematic changes in classroom environments and instructional practices can attract, maintain, and promote the success of minority students through culturally relevant pedagogy. We developed a professional development model to help teachers build an equitable computing classroom by integrating culturally responsive pedagogy. This paper illustrates the ways teachers came to make sense of culturally relevant pedagogy through interviews and application in lesson plans. Findings suggest that teachers conceptualized culturally relevant pedagogy and planned to create an equitable learning environment for students in different and unique ways.