Lessons in persistence - Investigating the challenges faced by preservice teachers in teaching coding and computational thinking in an unfamiliar context

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy

An ongoing problem for teacher education institutions is bridging theory and practice while providing authentic experiences that challenge preservice teachers’ pedagogical decision-making. Preservice practicums often simulate teaching in familiar settings, limiting opportunities to build confidence and adapt curriculum for unknown or unforeseen conditions. This paper uses a small-scale qualitative case study to examine persistent actions in an unfamiliar context and their impact on preservice teacher knowledge and self-efficacy.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

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Pages24

Reading Time1 h 0 min

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Introduction

Literature Review

Teacher Self-Efficacy

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 45 Issue 9 | Article 1 | | --- | --- | | 2020
Lessons in persistence: Investigating the challenges faced by preservice teachers in teaching coding and computational thinking in an unfamiliar context
Vinesh Chandra
Queensland University of Technology, [v.chandra@qut.edu.au](v.chandra@qut.edu.au)
Margaret Lloyd
Queensland University of Technology, [mm.lloyd@qut.edu.au](mm.lloyd@qut.edu.au)
Follow this and additional works at: [https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte)
Part of the Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Technology Commons, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons | | Recommended Citation Chandra, V., & Lloyd, M. (2020) . Lessons in persistence: Investigating the challenges faced by preservice teachers in teaching coding and computational thinking in an unfamiliar context. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 45(9) . [http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2020v45n9.1](http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2020v45n9.1) [This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.](This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.)[ ](This Journal Article is posted at Research Online.)[https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol45/iss9/1](https://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol45/iss9/1) Lessons In Persistence: Investigating The Challenges Faced By Preservice Teachers In Teaching Coding And Computational Thinking In An Unfamiliar Context Vinesh Chandra Margaret Lloyd Queensland University of Technology Abstract: An ongoing problem for teacher education institutions is bridging the gap between theory and practice and offering authentic experiences to challenge preservice teachers’pedagogical decisionmaking. Preservice practicums simulate teaching and can, at best, offer controlled experiences in familiar settings. This restricts the opportunities for preservice teachers to develop confidence in their own pedagogical decision-making and to adapt curriculum to meet unknown or unforeseen conditions. This paper describes, through a small-scale qualitative case study, a teaching experience in an unfamiliar setting, the persistent actions taken to respond to a specific context and the impact this had on preservice teacher knowledge and self-efficacy. The study found that preservice teacher self-efficacy can be scaffolded in real-world contexts provided sufficient planning,peer support and mentoring is available. Introduction The current regulatory climate in Australia makes it mandatory for teacher education institutions to ensure that preservice teachers are “classroom ready” and confident in integrating technologies in their classrooms and in teaching coding and computational skills (see ACARA, n.d.-a, n.d.-b, n.d.-c; AITSL, 2014, 2018; Australian Government, 2015) . This imposes the need to provide “specialised instruction on how to teach core content with technology while simultaneously guiding students in learning about new forms of technology”(Mouza, Karchmer-Klein, Nandakumar, & Ozden, 2014, p. 206). We were keen, as teacher educators, to investigate whether and if/how the preservice teachers in our care could develop the requisite competence and confidence. This paper describes the experiences of a group of Australian preservice teachers participating in an outreach project funded by the Australian Government's New Colombo Plan (Australian Government, 2017). It will discuss the pedagogical strategies they collaboratively adopted and iteratively adapted to respond to the challenge of teaching in an unfamiliar setting, namely, teaching coding and computational thinking in a rural primary school in Malaysia and how this impacted on their self-efficacy as teachers. It will attempt to add a contemporary set of factors, relating to technology use, to the challenges faced by beginning teachers which stand to impact on their self-efficacy as teachers. In this paper, coding is understood to be a “cognitive activity that invol

FAQs

What problem does the paper identify for teacher education institutions?

It highlights the difficulty of bridging the gap between theory and practice and creating authentic experiences that challenge preservice teachers’ pedagogical decisions.

Why are familiar-setting practicums seen as limiting?

They can provide controlled experiences but restrict chances for preservice teachers to develop confidence and adapt curriculum to unexpected conditions.

How does the study suggest preservice teacher self-efficacy can be supported?

It found that self-efficacy can be scaffolded in real-world contexts when sufficient planning, peer support, and mentoring are available.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Franzy