Technology is becoming more integral across professional fields and within our daily lives, especially since the onset of the pandemic. As such, opportunities to learn computational thinking are important to all students—not only the ones who will eventually study computer science or enter the information technology industry. However, large inequalities continue to exist in access to equipment and learning opportunities needed to build computational thinking skills for students that experience marginalization. We call all educators to integrate computational thinking into disciplinary learning across PreK-12 education, while centering inclusivity, to equip students with the skills they need to participate in our increasingly technological world and promote justice for students and society at large. This report issues two calls to action for educators to design inclusive computing learning opportunities for students: (1) integrate computational thinking into disciplinary learning, and (2) build capacity for computational thinking with shared leadership and professional learning. Inspired by the frameworks, strategies, and examples of inclusive computational thinking integration, readers can take away practical implications to reach learners in their contexts.

In response to the growing call to bring the powerful ideas of computer science to all learners, education decision makers, including teachers and administrators, are tasked with making consequential decisions on what curricula to use. Often, these decision makers have not been trained in computer science and are unfamiliar with the concepts taught and tools used. This is especially true in K–12 contexts where computer science expertise is less prevalent. To aid in the decision-making process around computing curricula, this article introduces the TEC Rubric. The TEC Rubric is composed of three main categories: Teacher Accessibility, Equity, and Content designed to support educational decision makers and designers when it comes to computing instruction. Along with presenting the full rubric and the process used in its creation, this article describes two examples of the rubric in action. First, the TEC Rubric is used to evaluate two widespread computer science curricula to demonstrate its evaluative capacity highlighting differences between the two curricula. Second, we show how the TEC Rubric can be used to help inform the design of new K–12 computing curricula. Overall, the TEC Rubric is designed to serve as a useful resource in the ongoing quest to bring effective, equitable, and engaging computing instruction into schools around the world.

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Background. Cybersecurity is of increasing importance in our interconnected world, yet the field has a growing workforce deficit and an underrepresentation of women and people of color. In an effort to address these issues, many digital games have been created to teach individuals about cybersecurity and keeping themselves, their data, and their networks safe. Intervention. We present the results of a systematic review of digital games related to cybersecurity as a means to understand how players are being introduced to cybersecurity in game-based contexts. Methods. Using a systematic search, we identified 181 games related to cybersecurity (either through content or aesthetics) by searching the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, Steam, and the web broadly. Each game was played for up to an hour and characteristics such as the game story, game elements, and presentation of cybersecurity were gathered. Results. We found diverse conceptualizations of cybersecurity and of cybersecurity professionals. Further, the nature of games and the framing of cybersecurity varied by the platform and device on which the game was available (computer, mobile, or web). Web games were most likely to present cybersecurity as cyber safety and were more likely to be a gamified quiz or worksheet. Computer and mobile games tended to present cybersecurity through game aesthetics or deep content engagement. The games mirrored the underrepresentation of women and minoritized individuals in the field. Discussion. With the variety of digital cybersecurity games and the differences in games based on the platform on which the game is available, it is important game developers move beyond presenting cybersecurity through gamification and focusing on cyber safety. The current scope of cybersecurity games leaves room for the development of games focused on deeper content engagement with cybersecurity topics in an environment conducive to the broadening participation goals of the cybersecurity field.

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