Implementing programming in school mathematics and technology: teachers’ intrinsic and extrinsic challenges

• Published in: International journal of technology and design education Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 213 - 242
• Main Author: Vinnervik, Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.03.2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Barriers; challenges; Compulsory Education; compulsory school; Curricula; Curriculum Development; curriculum implementation; Education; Education reform; Educational Change; Educational Policy; Educational Technology; educational work; Faculty Development; Foreign Countries; Instructional Materials; Interdisciplinary Approach; Learning and Instruction; Mathematical analysis; Mathematics; Mathematics Education; National Curriculum; pedagogiskt arbete; Preservice Teacher Education; Preservice teachers; Professional development; Programming; School Policy; Science Education; Teacher Attitudes; Teacher Competencies; Teacher education; Teacher Improvement; Teacher Qualifications; Teachers; Teaching; Technology Education; Sweden; Programming; Technology education; Compulsory school; Educational change; Curriculum implementation; Challenges
• ISSN: 0957-7572; 1573-1804; 1573-1804
• DOI: 10.1007/s10798-020-09602-0

The 2017 reform of the Swedish national curriculum requires that all compulsory school mathematics and technology teachers integrate programming into their teaching. The new programming policy poses a particular challenge since a majority of the affected teachers have little or no previous programming experience. This paper reports on a study of teachers preparing to implement the new policy. Insight into the preparation process was made possible through recorded group conversations and data were collected in March 2018, less than 4 months before the formal enactment of the new curriculum. The results, conceptualised by using a framework for intrinsic and extrinsic challenges, reveal several challenges that can potentially affect the uptake of the programming policy and the quality of implementation such as uncertainty about the subject content, unequal professional development opportunities, lack of teaching materials and recurring problems with school IT infrastructure. This study seeks to provide knowledge about teachers’ concerns and expressed needs while negotiating programming as new curriculum content and thus aims to contribute to the understanding of teachers’ strategies to approach the 2017 Swedish educational reform that introduces programming. Such knowledge is valuable for the possibilities to better understand under what circumstances programming is included in school mathematics and technology. The results illustrate the complexity of curriculum reform implementation and may be of value for decision makers at all levels of school policy and also for providers of both in-service and preservice teacher training.