Many schools worldwide have started to adopt computer programming as part of their formal curriculum. However, critics contend that integrating computer programming into schools tends to be technocentric. Teacher professional development is crucial to integrate computer programming as a tool for learning in classrooms through constructionist pedagogy. This study employed a grounded theory approach to develop a deeper understanding of teacher learning experiences during teacher professional development in constructionist computer programming education. An analysis of surveys and interviews with 14 public elementary and middle school teachers in Japan highlighted that teachers who undergo professional development for constructionist computer programming education tend to include three major learning elements: learning design strategies, pedagogical reflection, and professional development strategies. The analysis also demonstrated how those three elements are interconnected and continuous in the teachers’ learning experiences, implying the importance of supporting all the three elements during teacher professional development. The study indicated that leadership experiences during professional development helped teachers become more intentional regarding their learning experiences. This indicates the strength of such program designs for future constructionist computing professional development. Based on our observations, the current paper proposes a new teacher professional development model: the Creative Teacher Learning Spiral. We discuss the implications and recommendations for its application.
Murai et al. (2026) studied this question.