Integrating informal computational thinking and outdoor learning in elementary teacher education: Scaffolding plugged and unplugged exploration

Tech- focused K- 12 reform promotes infusing computational thinking (CT), requiring teacher education programs to integrate CT into existing curricula. Several ways exist for integrating CT, but links to informal learning and outdoor education are lacking. Here, the authors position "unplugged" CT and outdoor education as entry points for engaging in informal technology education by profiling a series of connected CT tasks for the elementary preservice teacher (PST) classroom. Participants consisted of 43 PSTs enrolled in an ed- tech course, who were surveyed before and after the tasks about their understanding of CT and related self- efficacy. Data sources included PST surveys, lesson reflections, and resulting classroom artifacts, analyzed independently by the researchers using open coding and descriptive statistics. Results revealed increases in CT, self- efficacy, and life science understandings following the intervention and provided concrete directions for further exploration and teacher education within informal spaces.