Carla Hester-Croff

About

Dr. Carla Hester-Croff is a leading scholar at the intersection of teacher preparation, computational thinking (CT), and culturally responsive pedagogy. Her work fundamentally reshapes how educators bring engineering and computer science to underrepresented students, particularly in rural communities. Her most influential study (130 citations) provides a groundbreaking framework for preparing teachers to integrate robotics and game design through a culturally responsive lens. By empirically examining shifts in teachers' Culturally Responsive Teaching Self-Efficacy (CRTSE) and outcome expectancy (CRTOE) beliefs alongside their attitudes toward CT, Hester-Croff demonstrates that effective STEM education is inseparable from equity. This research offers a vital model for teacher training programs, showing that when teachers see CT as a tool for cultural relevance, both their confidence and student engagement soar. Her work is a cornerstone for any educator or researcher committed to broadening participation in computing and dismantling systemic barriers in STEM education.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Preparing Teachers to Engage Rural Students in Computational Thinking Through Robotics, Game Design, and Culturally Responsive Teaching

   130 citations · 2017

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links