K‐12 teachers' programming attitudes among different disciplines: Analysis of influential factors

• Published in: Journal of computer assisted learning Vol. 40; no. 2; pp. 538 - 556
• Main Authors: Sun, Lihui, Zhou, Danhua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.04.2024; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: Attitudes; Correlation; Correlation analysis; Curricula; Elementary School Teachers; Elementary Schools; Environmental Influences; Factor analysis; Humanities; Impact analysis; influential factors; Information technology; K‐12 teachers; Males; measurement; Programming; programming attitudes; Regression analysis; Reliability; Science teachers; Statistical Analysis; Teacher Attitudes; Teachers; Teaching; Teaching Methods; Variance analysis
• ISSN: 0266-4909; 1365-2729
• DOI: 10.1111/jcal.12895

Background Integrating programming in K‐12 curriculum has become a global consensus. Teachers are central figures in programming instruction. But the majority of current research focuses on teachers' external teaching behaviours and less on teachers' attitudes towards programming. Objectives The purpose of this study is to validate the K‐12 in‐service Teacher Programming Attitudes Scale (TPAS), to analyse teachers' programming attitudes and their differences in personal, teaching, and environmental factors, and further explore the predictive relationship. Methods The sample is 888 K‐12 teachers from China. First, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were adopted to validate the availability and reliability of TPAS; Second, independent sample t‐test and one‐way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were adopted to explain the differences. Finally, correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were adopted to verify the correlation and prediction relationship. Results and Conclusion TPAS possess good reliability and validity (χ2/df = 2.488, RMSEA = 0.055, CFI = 0.943, TLI = 0.935, and IFI = 0.943). Further analysis found that, first of all, male teachers possess more positive programming attitudes than female teachers; second, young teachers who are under 30 and the length of teaching under 5 years possess more positive programming attitudes; thirdly, in addition to Information and Communication Technology teachers, primary science teachers also possess high programming attitudes, followed by teachers of Humanities and Arts, reflecting the potential of teaching programming in integrated subjects and the humanities. Finally, primary school teachers possess the best programming attitudes. With the growth of grade, teachers' enthusiasm for programming has gradually decreased. Additionally, discipline, grade and gender factors were considered to predict K‐12 teachers' programming attitudes. Implications The results of this study contribute to integrating programming teaching of teachers and promoting programming education in K‐12 classrooms. Lay Description What is already known about this topic .Integrating programming in K‐12 curriculum has become the consensus for most countries. Teacher is one of the core figures of K‐12 programming teaching. There is currently less attention paid to teachers' attitudes towards programming. K‐12 teachers' programming attitudes measurement tool is needed to analyze the impact of various factors on teachers' programming attitudes. What this paper adds The K‐12 teacher programming attitude scale (TPAS) is developed and validated. Male teachers and teachers under the age of 30 and under the length of teaching of five years possess more positive programming attitudes. Information and Communication Technology teachers and primary school Science teachers possess high programming attitudes. Discipline, grade and gender factors are considered to predict K‐12 teachers’ programming attitudes. Implications for practice and/or policy The K‐12 Teacher's Programming Attitude Scale (TPAS) fills the gap in measurements of teachers' programming attitudes. The study results provide the guidance for interdisciplinary programming teaching for K‐12 teachers.