Teaching primary and secondary computing: a comparative study of classroom practices and resources in the UK and Ireland

Background and Context: As more K–12 teachers are required to teach computing, there is a need to understand how it is enacted in classrooms. In addition, many non-specialists are teaching computing for the first time. Objective: We set out to better understand how computing is currently being taught across five jurisdictions in the UK and Ireland. The aim of the study was to understand CS teaching practices, including the use of certain approaches and resources in the computing classroom. Method: We analysed survey data from 475 primary and secondary teachers across a number of relevant categories: teachers’ use of CS resources and tools, CS-specific teaching and assessment approaches, and self-reported motivations for choosing specific resources. We also analysed qualitative responses using Ertmer’s Ertmer’s (2012) notion of first- and second-order barriers to identify internal/external challenges facing computing teachers. Findings: Data revealed “signature” CS teaching practices common across teaching levels including research-informed practices, unplugged activities, and teacher modelling/demonstration. Teachers also predominantly used Scratch and Python when teaching with considerable overlap across teaching levels. We also found significant differences in computing resources available to teachers, such as primary teachers having fewer dedicated computer rooms or individual devices for students than secondary teachers. Conversely, secondary teachers were more constrained by the need to prepare students for exams and assessments. Implications: These results have implications for how computing is enacted in classrooms and how teachers can be better supported.