scholarly journals STEM Learning Platform Using Design Engineering for Reinforcing Students’ Computational thinking skills

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akinode John Lekan ◽  
Oloruntoba Samson Abiodun

The wide spread of Corona virus or Covid-19 pandemic across the world has affected educational system worldwide, resulting to partial closures of schools. In line with the efforts to contain the spread, governments in different countries have issued directives to close schools to curtail the virus. As a result, there is a paradigm shift in the educational sector with the rise of Online/E-Learning and Teaching. The purpose of this study was to examine children perceptions of online coding in a boot camp program in Nigeria during COVID-19 period. The data were collected through interviews and questionnaire from the participants. A sample of fifty students in primary schools (K-8) were randomly selected. The students were examined based on their previous knowledge using the normal classroom teaching and the knowledge acquired using the e-learning platform on Computational thinking via unplugged activities and scratch programming. Sample t-test was used to compare the level of skill/knowledge acquired during online coding class and coding in formal contexts. The result shows that there is no significant difference between the teaching methods because p-value >5% significance level. However, the class activities were hampered by the difficulties in breaking the participants into groups and technical challenges as a result of internet and power failure. It was concluded that both interventions significantly improved students’ computational thinking skills and competency.


Author(s):  
Woonhee Sung ◽  
Junghyun Ahn ◽  
Shi Ming Kai ◽  
Ahram Choi ◽  
John B. Black

This chapter explores the role of computational thinking in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) learning and proposes effective classroom strategies that foster computational thinking. In a study conducted in an elementary after school classroom, the authors found that incorporating Computational Perspective Practice (CPP) to STEM subjects fosters higher-level cognitive thinking skills as well as learning in STEM domain. The 10 week-long after school program demonstrates positive effects of incorporating CPP to embodied activities in mathematic units prior to programming practice on learning coding as well as mathematics. The chapter concludes with recommendations for interweaving physical activities and a tablet-based programming application into elementary-level STEM classrooms.


2021 ◽  
pp. 004723952110188
Author(s):  
Ali Battal ◽  
Gülgün Afacan Adanır ◽  
Yasemin Gülbahar

The computer science (CS) unplugged approach intends to teach CS concepts and computational thinking skills without employing any digital tools. The current study conducted a systematic literature review to analyze research studies that conducted investigations related to implementations of CS unplugged activities. A systematic review procedure was developed and applied to detect and subsequently review relevant research studies published from 2010 to 2019. It was found that 55 research studies (17 articles + 38 conference proceedings) satisfied the inclusion criteria for the analysis. These research studies were then examined with regard to their demographic characteristics, research methodologies, research results, and main findings. It was found that the unplugged approach was realized and utilized differently among researchers. The majority of the studies used the CS unplugged term when referring to “paper–pencil activities,” “problem solving,” “storytelling,” “games,” “tangible programming,” and even “robotics.”


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