Examining Computer Science Educators’ Professional Identity

Abstract

The rapid pace of technological advancement and its immersive impact on our society underscores the need for all students to acquire fundamental knowledge and skills in computer science. Teachers are critical to the efforts to expand access and equity in computer science education. Developing teachers’ knowledge, practice, and professional identity is one of the key standards for effective teachers. This study delves into the landscape of American computer science educators from the lens of teacher identity. Using survey data from 2,337 educators, we further developed and tested a measure of teacher identity specific to teachers of computer science. By investigating their sense of professional identity, this study identified five distinct profiles of computer science educators: committed, confident, and well-resourced proponents; committed, confident, but under-resourced proponents; moderates; unconfident and under-resourced proponents; and uncommitted, unconfident, and under-resourced skeptics. We further examined the professional backgrounds and teaching contexts of those educators in each profile. This study contributes a validated tool for understanding computer science teacher identity, offering empirical insights informing the preparation and development of effective educators for teaching computer science in schools.