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Peer-Reviewed Journal Publications

Killen, H., Byrne, V., Coenraad, M., Cabrera, L., Ketelhut, D. J., Plane, J. (n.d.). Teacher Education to Integrate Computational Thinking into Elementary Science: A Design-Based Research Study. Transactions on Computing Education. Manuscript accepted.

Cabrera, L., Ketelhut, D. J., Mills, K., Killen, H., Coenraad, M., Byrne, V. L., & Plane, J. D. (2023). Designing a framework for teachers' integration of computational thinking into elementary science. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 1–36.

Cabrera, L., Byrne, V., Ketelhut, D. J., Coenraad, M., Killen, H., Mills, K. M., Plane, J., & McGinnis, J. R. (2021). Measuring Teacher Self-Efficacy for Integrating Computational Thinking in Science (T-SelECTS). Educational Innovations and Emerging Technologies, 1(1), 3-14.

Coenraad, M., Cabrera, L., Killen, H., Plane, J., & Ketelhut, D.J. (2021). Computational thinking integration in elementary teachers’ science lesson plans. Computational Thinking in PreK-5: Empirical Evidence for Integration and Future Directions, 11-18.

Killen, H., Chang, L., Soul, L., & Barclay, R. (2022). Combining Physical and Digital Data Collection for Citizen Science Climate Research. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 7(1), 10. DOI: 

Book Chapters

Coenraad, M., Cabrera, L., Killen, H., Plane, J., & Ketelhut, D.J. (2021). Computational thinking integration in elementary teachers’ science lesson plans. Computational Thinking in PreK-5: Empirical Evidence for Integration and Future Directions, 11-18.

Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings (with archival publications)

Tran, M., Killen, H., Palmer, J., Franklin, D., & Weintrop, D. (n.d.). Customizing Structured Scratch Activities: Scaffolding Teachers in Customizing Scratch Encore Curriculum. Under review at the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE ’24).

Killen, H. & Bonsignore, E. (2023). Co-designing for Environmental Engagement: Moving inside people outside and moving outside people outdoors in Proceedings of the 16th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2023). Montreal, Canada: International Society of the Learning Sciences.

Killen, H., Kramarczuk, K., and Kettelhut, D. (2022). Leveraging Researcher and Practitioner Partnerships to Promote Equitable CT-integrated Elementary Science Instruction. RESPECT Conference, Philadelphia, PA.

Killen, H., Soul, L., & Barclay, R. (2021). Merging Teacher Professional Development with Designing Curriculum Incorporating Cutting-Edge Science in a Natural History Museum in Proceedings of the 15th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2021). Bochum, Germany: International Society of the Learning Sciences. 971-972. DOI:

Cabrera, L., Coenraad, M., Byrne, V., Killen, H., & Ketelhut, D.J. (2021). Integrating Computational Thinking into Elementary Science Online in Proceedings of the 15th International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2021). Bochum, Germany: International Society of the Learning Sciences. 885-886. DOI:

Killen, H., Coenraad, M., Byrne, V., Cabrera, L., & Ketelhut, D.J. (2020). Reimagining computational thinking professional development: Benefits of a community of practice model. In Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS 2020), Nashville, Tennessee, USA: ISLS. DOI:

Killen, H., Coenraad, M., Cabrera, L., Mills, K., Ketelhut, D. J., & Plane, J. (2020). “We’ll be Scratching all the Time:” Understanding the role of language in computational thinking training for elementary teachers. In Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE ’20). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 1281. (Conference cancelled). DOI:

Killen, H., Weintrop, D., & Garvin, M. (2019). AP Computer Science Principles’ Impact on the Landscape of High School Computer Science using �˻�ֱ�� as a Model. In Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE ’19). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 1060–1066. DOI:

Garvin, M., Killen, H., Plane, J., & Weintrop, D. (2019). Primary School Teachers’ Conceptions of Computational Thinking. In Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE ’19). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 899–905. DOI:

Weintrop, D., Killen, H., Munzar, T., & Franke, B. (2019). Block-based Comprehension: Exploring and Explaining Student Outcomes from a Read-only Block-based Exam. In Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (SIGCSE ’19). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 1218–1224. DOI:

Weintrop, D., Killen, H., & Franke, B. E. (2018). Blocks or Text? �˻�ֱ�� programming language modality makes a difference in assessing underrepresented populations. In Proceedings of the International Society of the Learning Sciences, (ICLS 2018), London, England: ISLS. DOI:

Invited Conference Presentations (Refereed)

Killen, H., (2024) Building Climate Change Understanding within a Skeptical Rural �˻�ֱ��: The role of local knowledge when expanding a shared evidence base. Accepted to National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST) 2024. Denver, CO.

Cooke, H., Killen, H., Lahiri, S., McGowan, V.C. (n.d.). Educating in the climate crisis: Contextualizing climate change understanding by humanizing pedagogy. Under review. National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST) 2024. Denver, CO.

Killen, H., Tran, M., Palmer, J., Franklin, D., & Weintrop, D. (n.d.). Supporting Computer Science Teachers to Customize Culturally Relevant Instructional Materials: Challenges and Iteratively Designed Solutions. Under review. Educational Research Association Conference 2024 (AERA). Philadelphia, PA.

Ennes, M., Killen, H., Breguerrero, Barrales, W., Ma, J., Veggeberg, K., Zummo, L., Karader, Lukes, L., Hoge, K., MacPherson., A, Hammerness, K. (n.d.). Structured poster session: Science Communication Research in Informal Science Settings. Under review. Educational Research Association Conference 2024 (AERA). Philadelphia, PA.

Mack, J., Stephens, A., Drozda, Z., Hosten, M., Killen, H., Stefik, A., Rosato, J. (n.d.). Symposium: Data Science by Whom, for Whom, in What Spaces?  Constructing New Realities for Data Literacy. Under review. Educational Research Association Conference 2024 (AERA). Philadelphia, PA.

Killen, H., Coenraad, M, Cabrera, L., Byrne, V., Jass Ketelhut, D. & Plane, J. (2023). Teacher Professional Development to Integrate Computational Thinking into Elementary Science: A design-based research study, Educational Research Association Conference 2023 (AERA). Chicago, IL.

Killen, H., Soul, L., & Barclay, R. (2022). Embracing Technology in a Hybrid Citizen Science Protocol: Increasing Access...and Loneliness?, Educational Research Association Conference 2022 (AERA). San Diego, CA.

Killen, H., Soul, L., Chang, L. & Barclay, R. (2021). Opportunities for �˻�ֱ�� Building when Using a Hybrid Citizen Science Project Pairing Online Data Reporting and Geographically Dispersed Physical Sample Collection. Human Computer Interaction Lab Symposium 2021. College Park, �˻�ֱ��: University of �˻�ֱ�� Human Computer Interaction Lab.

Killen H., Coenraad, M, Cabrera, L., Byrne, V. & Jass Ketelhut, D. (2021). Integrating Computational Thinking into Elementary Inquiry-based Science Instruction: Affordances of a �˻�ֱ�� of Practice Model. National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST 2021). Orlando, FL.

Killen, H., Coenraad, M, Cabrera, L., Byrne, V., Jass Ketelhut, D. (2021). Benefits of Expanded Mentorship in a �˻�ֱ�� of Practice Model for Computational Thinking Professional Development. Educational Research Association Conference 2021 (AERA). Orlando, FL.

Killen, H., Mills, K., Cabrera, L., Coenraad, M., Jass Ketelhut, D., McGinnis, J. R., Plane, J. (2020). Computational Thinking in Elementary Education: A Framework to Develop a CT Language Roadmap. American Educational Research Association Conference 2020 (AERA). San Francisco, CA. (Conference cancelled)

Ketelhut, D., Killen H., McGinnis, J.R. (2020). An Investigation of Preservice Elementary Teachers Reaction to Integrating Computational Thinking in Their Teaching. National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST) 2020. Portland, OR. (Conference cancelled)

Killen, H. (2019). Investigating the Impact of Including Virtual Spaces on Citizen Science Projects to Promote Participation. International Conference of the Citizen Science Association (CitSci). Raleigh, NC.

Mills, K., Coenraad, M., Cabrera, L., Killen, H., Jass Ketelhut, D., McGinnis, J. R. (2020). A Design Based Research Approach to Integrating Computational Thinking into Elementary Science Teacher Education. American Educational Research Association Conference 2020 (AERA). San Francisco, CA. (Conference cancelled)

Invited Conference Posters (Refereed)

Killen, H., Soul, L., Chang, L. & Barclay, R. (2021). Collecting Leaves and Data for Climate Science on iNaturalist: A hybrid citizen science protocol. CitSci Virtual 2021. Citizen Science Association.

Killen, H., Pauw, D., Clegg, T., Preece, J. (2019). Creating Successful Citizen Science Researcher Partnerships with Interest-Focused, Learning-Centered Communities. International Conference of the Citizen Science Association (CitSci). Raleigh, NC.

Killen, H., Weintrop, D., & Garvin, M. (2019). AP Computer Science Principles’ Impact on the Landscape of High School Computer Science using �˻�ֱ�� as a Model. Presented at the American Educational Research Association Conference (AERA). Toronto, ON.

Invited Workshops (Refereed)

Killen, H., MacNeil, S., Clegg, T., Maher, M. L., Yeh, T. & Preece, J. (2021). Developing Bespoke Technology for Small Communities: Lessons from the NatureNet project. National Science Foundation Human-Technology Interface Series: Pathways to Products for Lifelong Learning Workshop. December 16, 2021.

Killen H., Coenraad, M, Cabrera, L., Byrne, V., Jass Ketelhut, D. (2021). Integrating Computational Thinking (CT) into Elementary Science Online and Face-to-Face: �˻�ֱ�� to run a successful PD for pre-service and in-service teachers with a proven framework, tech tools, and strategies. Presented virtually at National Association of Research in Science Teaching (NARST) 2021. Orlando, FL.

Kim, J. G., MacNeil, S., Maher, M., Clegg, T., Killen, H., & Preece, J. (2020). A Citizen Science Platform that Supports �˻�ֱ��-Driven Environmental Projects in Diverse Neighborhoods. To have been presented at the 2020 SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI ’20). Honolulu, Hawai’i.

Other Presentations

Killen, H. (2023). Engaging with Critical Data Perspectives and Practices to Encourage Expanded Notions of Local Climate Data: Preliminary analysis when co-designing a local, online, map-based, educational resource. To be presented at the Learning Sciences Graduate Student Conference, Iowa City, Iowa, USA, October 13-15, 2023.

Killen, H. (2022). Exploring Ways in which a Rural �˻�ֱ�� Holds, Uses and Produces Climate Change Data. Learning Sciences Graduate Student Conference, Bloomington, Indiana, USA, October 21-23, 2022.

Killen, H. (2021). Developing a Framework for Climate Change Agency that Centers Civic Action. Presented virtually at the Learning Sciences Graduate Student Conference, Chicago, IL, USA, November 12-14, 2021.

Killen, H. (2020). Assessing Engagement in Informal STEM Spaces: The first steps toward applying Human Computer Interaction measures to understand engagement in natural history museums, science centers and other informal STEM spaces – Poster. Presented virtually at the Learning Sciences Graduate Student Conference, Madison, Wisconsin, USA, November 13-15, 2020.

Killen, H. (2019). Investigating Participation when Including Virtual Spaces in an Informal Adult Learning Environment: Utilizing affinity space theory within a community of practice to support a group through time. Learning Sciences Graduate Student Conference, Evanston, Illinois, USA, September 20-22, 2019.

Killen, H., (2018). Investigating Computer Science Understanding in Block and Text Environments Using Eye Tracking. Learning Sciences Graduate Student Conference, Nashville, Tennessee, USA, October 12-13, 2018.

Ketelhut, D. J., Cabrera, L., McGinnis, R. J., Plane, J., Coenraad, M., Killen, H., & Mills, K. M. (2019). Exploring the Integration of computational Thinking into Preservice Elementary Science Teacher Education. National Science Foundation STEM+C PI Meeting, Washington, D.C., September 18- 20, 2019.