Computer Science (Grades 5–12). Algorithms, programming, data, and systems — for future CS teachers. The test is
computer delivered and runs for 3 hours: 100
selected-response — choose one or more answers.
Consistent with the K-12 Computer Science Framework (2016), the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (2017), and the ISTE Computational Thinking Competencies.
IImpacts of Computing15 questions · 15%
Understand computing as a way of expressing creativity, solving problems, enabling communication, and fostering innovation in a variety of fields and careers
Know the obstacles to equal access to computing among different groups and the impact of those obstacles
Understand beneficial and harmful effects of computing innovations and the trade-offs between them
Know different methods of protecting intellectual property rights and the trade-offs between them in a variety of contexts (e.g., Creative Commons, open source, copyright)
Understand ethical and unethical computing practices and their social, economic, and cultural implications
Know privacy and security issues regarding the acquisition, use, and disclosure of information in a digital world
IIAlgorithms and Computational Thinking25 questions · 25%
Understand abstraction as a foundation of computer science
Know how to use pattern recognition, problem decomposition, and abstraction to develop an algorithm
Understand number base conversion and binary, decimal, and hexadecimal number systems
Understand how to develop and analyze algorithms expressed in multiple formats (e.g., natural language, flowcharts, pseudocode)
Be familiar with the limitations of computing in terms of time, space, and solvability as well as with the use of heuristic solutions that can address these limitations
Understand searching and sorting algorithms; can analyze sorting algorithms for correctness and can analyze searching algorithms for correctness and efficiency
Understand simple recursive algorithms (e.g., n factorial, sum of first n integers)
Be familiar with the use of randomization in computing
IIIProgramming30 questions · 30%
Understand how to write and modify computer programs in a text-based programming language
Understand how to analyze computer programs in terms of correctness
Know the concepts of extensibility, modifiability, and reusability
Understand the three basic constructs used in programming: sequence, selection, and iteration
Understand how to use standard operators (i.e., assignment, arithmetic, relational, logical) and operator precedence to write programs
Understand how to use variables and a variety of data types
Understand how to write and call procedures with parameters and return values
Know the concepts of event-driven programs that respond to external events (e.g., sensors, messages, clicks)
Be familiar with usability and user experience (e.g., ease of use and accessibility)
Be familiar with dictionaries/maps, stacks, and queues
Understand how to use debugging techniques and appropriate test cases
Be familiar with characteristics of well-documented computer programs that are usable, readable, and modular
Be familiar with techniques to obtain and use feedback to produce high-quality code (e.g., code reviews, peer feedback, end user feedback)
Know how to use libraries and APIs
Understand programming techniques to validate correct input and detect incorrect input
Be familiar with the features and capabilities of integrated development environments (IDEs)
Be familiar with the differences between low- and high-level programming languages
Be familiar with different programming paradigms
Know object-oriented programming concepts
Be familiar with program compilation and program interpretation
IVData15 questions · 15%
Understand bits as the universal medium for expressing digital information
Be familiar with concepts of data encryption and decryption
Know how to use computational tools, including spreadsheets, to analyze data in order to discover, explain, and visualize patterns, connections, and trends
Be familiar with the use of computing in simulation and modeling
Be familiar with methods to store, manage, and manipulate data
Be familiar with a variety of computational methods for data collection, aggregation, and generation
VComputing Systems and Networks15 questions · 15%
Know that operating systems are programs that control and coordinate interactions between hardware and software components
Be familiar with computing systems embedded in everyday objects (e.g., Internet of Things [IoT], ATMs, medical devices)
Know the capabilities, features, and uses of different types of computing systems (e.g., desktop, mobile, security issues and the Web cluster)
Be familiar with computers as layers of abstraction from hardware (e.g., logic gates, chips) to software (e.g., system software, applications)
Be familiar with the steps required to execute a computer program (fetch-decode-execute cycles)
Be familiar with trade-offs between local, network, and cloud computing and storage
Be familiar with means of storing binary data and communication between devices
Know components of networks
Be familiar with factors that have an impact on network functionality
Be familiar with how Internet and Web protocols work
Be familiar with digital and physical strategies for maintaining security
Be familiar with concepts of cybersecurity
Be familiar with the components that make up the Web (e.g., HTTP, HTML, browsers, servers, clients)
About the outline above. The content
categories and competency titles on this page are transcribed verbatim from
the official ETS Praxis Computer Science Study Companion. Practice items
marked ETS in the app are also transcribed, with ETS's own answer
rationales.
What test day is actually like
If you have not sat a Computer Science test before, the part that
unnerves people is usually not the content. It is not knowing what you are
walking into. Here is the actual shape of it.
100Questions
3 hoursTime limit
Computer DeliveredDelivery
Not permittedCalculator
Selected-response — choose one or more answersFormat
That works out to about 1 minute 48 seconds per question.It is the pacing, not the difficulty, that catches people out. Most
candidates lose marks by grinding one hard item and running out of time
on easy ones later. Answer the ones you know first, mark the rest, and
come back with whatever is left.
The content is split into 5 sections, weighted
like this:
Impacts of Computing15 questions, 15% of the test
Algorithms and Computational Thinking25 questions, 25% of the test
Programming30 questions, 30% of the test
Data15 questions, 15% of the test
Computing Systems and Networks15 questions, 15% of the test
What Praxis Studio gives you for 5652
93 practice questions covering every competency on the outline, with explanations for right and wrong answers.
A worked curriculum for all 53 competencies: key terms, worked examples, and the traps the exam is known for.
A self-test that reports accuracy per competency, not one opaque number.
Progress you can actually see, broken down by content category so you know what to study next.
Offline and mobile. Install to your home screen; it works without a connection.
Open source under MIT, so the content and the scoring logic can be checked by anyone.
How to actually study for this
The research on how people learn is consistent on one point: the method
that works best is the one that feels least like studying. It is also the one
anxious test-takers skip, which is why the practice here is built to be easy
to start and impossible to fail.
Do not just reread.Reading over material feels like studying and is the weakest use of your time. Recognition is not recall, and the exam asks you to recall.
Answer questions from memory, then check.Retrieval practice, meaning self-testing, is one of the best-evidenced study methods there is. It beats rereading, restudying, and rereading your notes.
Read the explanation either way.Right or wrong, the explanation is where the learning happens. Wrong answers especially: those are the ones you got lucky on.
Come back tomorrow.Spacing beats cramming. The same hour split across five days is worth more than five hours on one night.
Sit one timed run before test day.Full length, timed, no pausing. Pacing is a skill and it is learned by doing, not by thinking about doing.
One reassurance worth having. Practice questions in this app are not the
real exam, and your score on them is not your Praxis score. Use them to find
the competencies you do not know yet. That is the whole job.
Praxis 5652 Computer Science: questions and answers
How many questions are on the Praxis Computer Science (5652) exam?
The official test is 100 questions in 3 hours. Selected-response — choose one or more answers. It is computer delivered, and a calculator is not permitted. Praxis Studio is built against that exact structure.
How many free practice questions does Praxis Studio have for 5652?
93 questions for this exam: 25 transcribed from ETS and 68 written against the official content outline, every one labelled in the app so you always know which is which. All 53 competencies on the outline have at least one question.
What content does the Praxis 5652 exam cover?
It is divided into 5 content categories: Impacts of Computing (15%), Algorithms and Computational Thinking (25%), Programming (30%), Data (15%), Computing Systems and Networks (15%). The full competency outline is listed on this page and is broken down, taught and quizzed inside the app.
Is Praxis Studio really free? Is there a paywall?
Yes, and permanently. There is no account, no trial, no card and no premium tier. Progress is stored in your own browser. Signing in is optional and only adds cross-device sync.
Is this official ETS material?
No. Praxis Studio is an independent, open-source project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS. Some outline text and sample items are transcribed from the published ETS Study Companion, which is why the app labels them as coming from ETS. Buy the official Study Companion and the free practice test you receive with test registration straight from ETS if you want the authoritative version.
Can I use it offline or on my phone?
Yes. It installs to the home screen on iOS and Android and runs offline via a service worker. Progress lives in local storage, so there is nothing to sign into and nothing to lose if you clear the app.
Can I see how I am doing by competency?
Yes. The Progress tab breaks your accuracy down by competency and content category, so it is clear which part of the outline to study next rather than just your overall percentage.
Does it use AI, and do I need an API key?
Ms. Kaya is an optional in-app tutor that is scoped to whichever competency you are reading, so it answers against the real outline instead of generic study advice. It is entirely optional: every question, explanation and self-test works without it. Bring your own key if you want to use it.