2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Background
U.S. urban, rural, and small pre-college schools struggle to implement computer science education for most students. This is especially true in primary and lower secondary schools where multi-subject credentialled teachers may not feel comfortable delivering computer science instruction. One means of outreach to such schools is through undergraduate service learning.
Purpose
This qualitative study examines the experiences of a novice, out-of-field middle school teacher implementing an arts-integrated physical computing and engineering design class at a small urban school. The teacher is supported during the semester by undergraduate computer science and design students participating in a service-learning class. We use Sandy’s (2007) Benefits to Community Partners to frame the teacher’s experience with service learners in the classroom.
Research Questions
What benefits does the teacher receive from having university students engaged in service learning in the middle-school classroom as aligned with elements in Sandy’s (2007) Benefits to Community Partners?
Design/Method
We used thematic analysis to analyze multiple interviews with the teacher to understand his thoughts about teaching the new class, the undergraduates’ role, and the university in helping him successfully deliver the class.
Results
Early stages of this ongoing work reveal that the primary teacher viewed the support of university outreach through undergraduate service-learning students as essential to enable him to deliver the instruction. The teacher expressed early apprehension about teaching the topic and discussed specific support needed and received from the university and undergraduates.
Conclusions
K-12 school teachers engaging in out-of-field computer science instruction can benefit from support provided by the university through undergraduate service learning.