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Hood College is proud to announce that two faculty members have been awarded grants from  to develop and implement innovative approaches to computer science education. The funded projects will take place over the summer and continue through the fall 2025 semester, supporting initiatives that introduce computational thinking and artificial intelligence to early childhood education.

Jennifer Cuddapah, Ph.D., professor of education, will lead the grant project titled “Pre-Service Interns Learning to Enhance Pre-K Student Literacy Development Through Chatbots and Reading Buddies.” This initiative unites Hood’s Department of Computer Science and Information Technology, Department of Education, and the Georgetown Hill at Hood College Lab School to integrate chatbot technology into early literacy instruction.

The project will train preservice teacher interns to use AI-powered chatbots and reading buddy systems to support literacy development among Pre-K students. The chatbots will model fluent reading and expose children to rich, diverse content that enhances comprehension, language development, and familiarity with print conventions. At the same time, the interns will receive instruction on the Science of Reading (SOR) in their certification coursework and apply these strategies in their Professional Development School (PDS) student teaching placements.

Ultimately, the initiative aims to enhance early literacy outcomes and prepare Hood’s education graduates to use innovative tools in Frederick County Public Schools and beyond.

Marisel Torres-Crespo, Ph.D., professor of education, will lead a project titled “Enhancing PreK Teachers’ Understanding of Computational Thinking: Through a Flipped PreK Teacher Professional Development Approach.” This unique program introduces a flipped model of professional development in which PreK teachers engage directly with adapted computational thinking lessons from the CAL (Computational Action Learning) Curriculum before receiving formal training.

This experiential learning model is designed to make computational thinking—a foundational component of computer science—more accessible to early childhood educators. By engaging with hands-on lessons in advance, teachers can build stronger conceptual understanding and more meaningful classroom connections. The project also draws on the parallels between computational thinking and executive functioning skills, emphasizing their shared role in promoting problem-solving, logical reasoning, and academic success.

Both projects reflect a commitment to preparing educators and young learners for the future by integrating emerging technologies and innovative pedagogy into classroom experiences.

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