Darcy Ronan | Sacred Heart University (original) (raw)

Papers by Darcy Ronan

School Science and Mathematics, Sep 30, 2023

Proceedings of the 54th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 1

Teacher dispositions have strong empirical and theoretical ties to teacher motivation, profession... more Teacher dispositions have strong empirical and theoretical ties to teacher motivation, professional choices, and classroom practices. The attitudes and beliefs of teachers can mediate students' access to and experience with computer science (CS) instruction. This paper presents a baseline study to illuminate initial characteristics, beliefs, and experiences with CS of an elementary school teaching population in multiple districts across two states. As part of their onboarding to a large CS outreach project, U.S. teachers (N = 791) from partnering elementary schools (N = 28) completed the T-ABC, a survey instrument designed to measure teachers' beliefs about CS education, growth-mindset and self-efficacy. Prior CS professional development experiences were associated with statistically significant differences in the CS Beliefs and Self-Efficacy dimensions of the T-ABC. We present and discuss an additional principal component analysis producing a seven factor model, with psychometric overview of factor extraction and loading. Further we begin to define emergent factors such as teacher determination, teacher fear, and epistemologically confused positivity from this analysis. Identification and measurement of teacher dispositions enables further analysis of how teacher beliefs may support or hinder effective practice in CS instruction, how teacher populations may differ, and how identified dispositions may change with exposure to various CS learning experiences. CCS CONCEPTS • Applied computing → Education; • Social and professional topics → K-12 education.

Catholic colleges and universities educate thousands of teachers and school administrators every ... more Catholic colleges and universities educate thousands of teachers and school administrators every year to be at the forefront of teaching and leading. The mission and vision of Catholic colleges and universities is unique in higher education while sending their graduates forth into every sector of the wider world. We explore the contribution of the Catholic intellectual tradition (CIT) for colleges of education at Catholic colleges and universities. In this particular piece, we mine the tradition's emphasis on contemplation to cultivate and inform a practice of reflection for aspiring educators.

ACM Transactions on Computing Education

Instrument development is an important step towards unlocking the analytical power of teacher att... more Instrument development is an important step towards unlocking the analytical power of teacher attitudes and beliefs towards Computer Science (CS). Teacher dispositions have strong empirical and theoretical ties to teacher motivation, professional choices, and classroom practices. To determine consensus desirable attitudes and beliefs we analyzed 17 key documents produced by 12 national and international organizations associated with CS and the CS education reform movement. An analysis of 98 relevant coded segments yielded four dispositional targets: an equity orientation, a teacher growth mindset, and key beliefs regarding (career) outcomes and epistemology of CS. Statements crafted for these targets as well as self-efficacy were reviewed through an expert panel (N = 5) and a pilot study (N = 22) before the T-ABC was administered to elementary teachers in a large grant-funded outreach project (N = 772). Psychometric analysis demonstrates high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.89) an...

Values and Ethics in Educational Administration, 2020

Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

As a prerequisite to ACM-IEEE CS1/CS2 curricula, common objectives of a CS0 course are: (i) to in... more As a prerequisite to ACM-IEEE CS1/CS2 curricula, common objectives of a CS0 course are: (i) to introduce CS to students who are interested, but do not have any prior CS skills, (ii) support student success while adapting to college life, and (iii) improve recruitment and retention of CS majors using the 'common first year' theme of many STEM programs. A previous CSO survey course at our institution focused on abstract logic, without any hands-on component, resulting in a CS0 "gate" course- a dull first encounter with computer science for most and an 'extremely fun and interesting' course for the few with pre-existing abstract thinking and reasoning skills. The missed opportunity to engage more students with CS, and thereby contribute to program viability and growth, spurred curriculum renewal. Given the existence of multiple high-quality offerings of CS curricula geared toward P-12 students, including at the AP-level, and also relying on our existing institutional partnership with a national non-profit organization dedicated to expanding access to CS in schools and addressing patterns of underrepresentation, we have implemented a new course based on a Computer Science Principles curriculum. This poster provides details of implementation as well as student experience and feedback with the first cohort of this brand-new course.

Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access Proceedings

Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2016

The Chronicle of higher education

The overtones of tragedy and missed opportunity in the "undermatching" discussion misch... more The overtones of tragedy and missed opportunity in the "undermatching" discussion mischaracterize a large part of the story. - See more at: http://chronicle.com/article/Do-Not-Neglect-the-Ladder-of/150181/

Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 2013

Retention rates of undergraduates at large urban universities serving minority populations have b... more Retention rates of undergraduates at large urban universities serving minority populations have been problematic, especially among students in science and technology fields. John Jay College of Criminal Justice has designed a cohesive collegiate retention program according to the Tinto model of retention. This article details the strategies utilized as they relate to known factors affecting college persistence. Preliminary outcomes of this work are also explored in terms of student involvement and institutional support.

In this study, Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) is used to explore changes in the career int... more In this study, Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) is used to explore changes in the career intentions of students in an undergraduate research experience (URE) program at a large public minority-serving college. Our URE model addresses the challenges of establishing an undergraduate research program within an urban, commuter, underfunded, Minority-Serving Institution (MSI). However, our model reaches beyond a focus on retention and remediation toward scholarly contributions and shifted career aspirations. From a student's first days at the College to beyond their graduation, we have encouraged them to explore their own potential as scientists in a coordinated, sequential, and self-reflective process. As a result, while the program's graduates have traditionally pursued entry-level STEM jobs, graduates participating in mentored research are increasingly focused on professional and academic STEM career tracks involving postgraduate study. In addition to providing an increasingly expected experience and building students' skills, participation in undergraduate research is seen to have a transformative effect on career ambitions for many students at MSIs. While undergraduate research is often thought of in context of majority-serving institutions, we propose that it serves as a powerful equalizer at MSIs. Building on the institutional characteristics that drive diversity, our students produce scholarly work and pursue graduate degrees, in order to address the long-standing under-representation of minorities in the sciences.