Biography
Betty Chandy, Ed.D. is the Director for Technology Integration and Learning Design at Catalyst @ Penn GSE, where she leads work that connects learning sciences, online instruction, and emerging technologies to support educators and school systems. She oversees the Virtual Online Teaching (VOLT) certificate program and the Experiences in Applied Computational Thinking (EXACT) certificate program, which prepare teachers to design meaningful and accessible learning experiences for diverse classrooms.
Dr. Chandy is the designer and director of Pioneering AI in School Systems (PASS), a professional development initiative that helps district and school leaders understand how AI can be used responsibly and effectively in K–12 education. PASS is supported through partnerships with regional districts and major philanthropic funding, including a $1 million Google.org gift, and is guiding schools as they establish strategies for AI adoption and governance.
Her career began in K–12 classrooms as a high school teacher and instructional coach, which continues to shape her focus on practical, educator-centered solutions. Her research and program design work explore online learning, computational thinking, teacher development, and the role of new technologies in expanding opportunity for students. She has collaborated with educators across the United States, India, and the Middle East, and is frequently invited to speak about AI, innovation in teaching, and the future of learning.
Dr. Chandy earned her doctorate from Penn GSE.
Research Interests and Current Projects
Computational Thinking in Action (CTiA)
The Computational Thinking in Action (CTiA) program is a statewide collaboration between Catalyst @ Penn GSE, and the Bucks IU, Luzerne IU 18, ARIN IU 28, and Central IU 10. Each IU partner will work with Catalyst and their district teams within their region to be part of the CTiA program. Among the various school districts in the program are Armstrong, Bristol Township, Glendale Area, and Hazleton Area School Districts. CTiA program seeks to prepare educators to teach computer science, develop computational thinking, and provide professional development and training to help the partners to collaboratively create materials that will include: 1) A standalone course titled Introduction to Computer Science, to be offered at the middle school level, 2) a series of lessons to be implemented in various core subjects, and 3) a formal curriculum for an after-school offering in robotics and computer science.
VOLT-ABEA Partnership for advancing technology enhanced education in India
VOLT has partnered with the Aditya Birla Education Academy to offer the VOLT program to teachers across India. The scope of the program includes a week-long, 30-hour, intensive professional development workshop, provided in Mumbai. This in-person intensive will provide an introduction to: improving teaching for student engagement and active learning; increasing the use of hybrid/blended learning designs; and developing 21st century skills and digital literacies. The workshops will be followed by several online workshops and working sessions over the course of the year to engage teachers in collaborative lesson planning and designing of learning environments.
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