WeTeach_CS Summit 2026

This session presents findings from a qualitative dissertation study examining how secondary computer science teachers’ classroom design and pedagogical decisions influence female students’ sense of belonging. Using a pedagogical theory and the concept of ambient belonging as a framework, the session highlights how seating arrangements, classroom décor, and instructional practices send powerful messages about who belongs in computer science. Participants will engage with real classroom examples and receive a research-based checklist to help audit and redesign their CS classrooms to be more inclusive, supportive, and engaging for female students.

In this session, we will center on tools for multilingual learners, while also focusing on the components of professional development that support CS programs and allow participation of multilingual students. We will also discuss important aspects of community involvement and professional development, providing tools and best practices to support CS programs. We will share about the effect of Cognitive Load Theory on multilingual learners, sharing tools that can alleviate that load. The session will include sample activities to explore cognitive load effects in the classroom, how to use tools in the integration of CS in the curriculum, and facilitating conversations about cognitive load and its effect on learning. Lastly, we will share how technology can help engage multilingual households and how we can support them in their learners’ CS journey.

Did you know that there is an honor society for Computer Science? This main purpose of this society is to recognize those students who have shown a genuine interest in learning how to code. The society managed by the Computer Science Teachers Association. We will discuss how to create a school-based honor society, cover resources to get your society started, and answer any questions your may have about this society. Please join us and find out how this could enrich your CS pathway.

In this session, participants will explore how computer science can be intentionally designed to support Differentiation, Engagement, and Individualized Experiences for all learners. Grounded in real classroom practice, the session highlights X-STREAM 15, a diverse group of 5th and 6th grade students that includes students receiving special education services, neurodivergent and autistic learners, and students with varied academic and communication needs. Attendees will see how tools such as VEX 123 and Cog robots can be leveraged to create accessible, engaging CS experiences that prioritize agency, problem-solving, and meaningful participation for every student.

Many K–12 students, including those with disabilities or impacted by restrictive learning environments, face barriers to effective digital learning. Limited access, rigid technology policies, inflexible instructional design, and emerging AI tools can either widen or reduce these gaps. In this interactive session, participants explore how accessibility, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and responsible AI use intersect in K–12 classrooms. Through real-world scenarios, collaboration, and reflection, attendees examine how accessible and AI-supported technologies can personalize learning, reduce barriers, and strengthen student agency while navigating school policies. Participants leave with practical tools to design future-ready learning experiences.

As shifts in enrollment driven by school choice policies require districts to rethink the use of existing facilities, community makerspaces present a scalable, research-aligned strategy for maximizing both space and educational impact. Well-designed makerspaces support high-quality STEM learning through hands-on, interdisciplinary experiences while leveraging sustainable programming models, strategic staffing, and partnerships with industry and higher education. By repositioning underutilized facilities as community-accessible STEM hubs, school districts can expand equitable access to authentic STEM pathways for students while strengthening workforce readiness and community engagement.

Recruiting students into computer science is only the first step. Retaining them requires a sense of belonging. In this session, educators will explore how classroom culture, instructional language, and daily routines directly impact whether students feel they belong in CS. Participants will learn how belonging functions as a core component of the curriculum, not an add-on. Through real classroom scenarios and collaborative discussion, educators will leave with actionable strategies to create CS learning environments where students feel valued, capable, and motivated to persist.

Rural Texas schools serve a significant and diverse student population, yet they remain largely underrepresented in the expansion of K-12 AI and computer science education. This session draws on a panel of Texas educators and partners that are deeply engaged with this work as well as emerging national and Texas-specific research to examine the structural and narrative barriers that limit access in rural communities.

Panelists will explore how the unique challenges and a lack of qualified CS educators compound to create persistent gaps in rural schools. The session will also challenge deficit-based narratives by spotlighting the innovation already happening in rural Texas classrooms — innovation that too often goes unrecognized and under-resourced.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the policy levers and community assets that can drive sustainable progress, including place-based partnerships and strategies for amplifying rural voices in the AI and CS education conversation. This session is designed for teachers, administrators, district leaders, university partners, and policymakers who are committed to building CS pathways for every student, including those in the smallest and most geographically isolated schools in Texas.

I Think I Can: Applying Self-Efficacy to Build Persistence and Leadership in CS Pathways reframes student disengagement in computer science as a belief and identity challenge, not a lack of interest. Grounded in Bandura’s four sources of self-efficacy, this session equips educators with practical strategies to intentionally build student confidence, self-advocacy, and persistence in CS pathways. Participants will examine how instructional design, feedback, and messaging shape students’ beliefs about belonging and capability, and will leave with actionable tools to strengthen leadership identity and retention across K–12 CS programs.

Building students’ sense of belonging is critical to recruiting, engaging, and retaining them in
computer science (CS). When students feel they belong, they are ready to engage on a
deeper level. However, girls often feel they do not belong in CS classes. Our research lab has
been studying when and why these gender gaps emerge in CS to help teachers address
them. Teachers will be presented with research findings in a simple, actionable, and fun way
to discuss in a community of practice. Teachers will leave with an action plan to promote
their students' belonging.