Investigation of the Relationship Between Middle School Students’ Computational Thinking Skills and their STEM Career Interest and Attitudes Toward Inquiry

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevser Hava ◽  
Zeynep Koyunlu Ünlü
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Career Interest ◽  
School Students ◽  
Stem Career ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Stem Career Interest

scholarly journals Effects of Robotics Instructional Methods on Computational Thinking Skills of Middle School Students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Patrick Cook
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Problem Solving ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Instructional Methods ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Peer Collaboration ◽  
School Students ◽  
Problem Solving Strategies ◽  
K 12

As a tangible and motivating medium for students to engage in computational thinking, robotics has drawn interest from educators and researchers as K-12 schools continue to integrate STEM into curriculum. Through this mixed methods study, the researcher sought to explore the effects of robotics instructional methods (task-based and project-based) on the computational thinking skills of middle school students, including the problem-solving strategies used and the role of peer collaboration. The quantitative results of this study indicated no significant difference in the computational thinking skills of students participating in task-based or project-based robotics instruction. Interviews consisted of open-ended questions in which problem-solving and collaboration in robotics were explored from the perspectives of the participants. In both groups, problem-solving strategies encompassed all aspects of computational thinking as students took an iterative approach to problem-solving in both tasks and projects. Peer collaboration was naturally occurring and frequent among both groups. In task-based robotics instruction, peer collaboration and problem-solving strategies were primarily focused on the programming of the robot. In project-based robotics, peer collaboration and problem-solving strategies were applied throughout the entire design process, including the building and the programming of the robot. Through this study, the researcher hoped to provide a roadmap for the implementation of robotics in schools for K-8 students. As schools are increasingly seeking ways to integrate robotics into school curriculum, further research in this area on a larger scale is recommended.

scholarly journals Factors Influencing Student STEM Career Choices: Gender Differences

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 179-192
Author(s):  
Tandra Tyler-Wood ◽  
Karen Johnson ◽  
Deborah Cockerham
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Stepwise Multiple Regression ◽  
Career Interest ◽  
School Students ◽  
Science Technology ◽  
Subject Areas ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Stem Career ◽  
Gender Based

This study examined factors that influence middle school students’ dispositions towards science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. Interest and ability in STEM subject areas were compared by gender, based on 182 middle school students’ responses to four different test instruments. While findings from t-tests indicated significant differences between males and females on mathematics interest scores, no significant differences were found in science, technology, engineering, or STEM career interest. Stepwise multiple regression showed that STEM variables explained 47% of the variance in boys pursuing a STEM career and 36% of the variance in girls. The findings of this study underscore the challenges that still exist in achieving equal gender representation in the STEM workforce, and suggest that adopting a constructivist learning approach may provide a foundation for girls to develop a more positive approach toward science, boost STEM awareness and interest, and increase STEM success.

scholarly journals Computational Thinking Skills, Programming Self-Efficacies and Programming Attitudes of the Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 24-35
Author(s):  
Mustafa Serkan Günbatar
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Information Technologies ◽  
Computer Programming ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
School Students ◽  
High Level

The purpose of this research is to examine Computer Programming Attitude (CPA), Computer Programming Self-Efficacy (CPSE) and Computational Thinking (CT) skills of middle school students who took the Information Technologies & Software (IT&S) courses and those who did not, and make various analyses according to the relationships between these variables. As a result of the analysis, it was found that CPA and CPSE variables are significant predictors for CT skills, both students who took IT&S course and those who did not take have moderate CPSE, but students who took IT&S course have a statistically significantly higher CPSE. In addition, it was observed that both those who took IT&S course and those who did not have moderate CPA and did not differ statistically, and students who took IT&S course had a high level of CT, while those who did not take the course were moderate and statistically different. It was also found that students who took IT&S courses made cumulative progress in terms of CPSE, CPA and CT variables compared to those who did not. The obtained results are discussed within the framework of middle school IT & S course curriculum held in Turkey in 2018.

scholarly journals Educational Game Design as Gateway for Operationalizing Computational Thinking Skills among Middle School Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Lun Wu
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Middle School Students ◽  
Situated Learning ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Educational Game ◽  
School Students ◽  
Design Activities ◽  
Meaningful Relationships

This qualitative case study reports descriptive findings of digital game-based learning involving 15 Taiwanese middle school students’ use of computational thinking skills elicited through programmed activities in a game design workshop. Situated learning theory is utilized as framework to evaluate novice game designers’ individual advancement in developing a designer language, mindset, and use of computational thinking skills. Three strands of findings were extrapolated from analyzing observational data, participant-generated written responses and artifacts: Understanding games as systems and how components work together in meaningful relationships in game design; Developing growing sophistication in communicating with other novice game designers using language germane to game design; Improving understanding and application of computational thinking skills through game design activities. Extended discussions on three focal cases revealed that using design pedagogy, participants operationalized computational thinking skills in design tasks. Promises and pitfalls of using game design to facilitate computational thinking skills are discussed.

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