A Research Agenda for Computational Thinking

2018 ◽  
pp. 65-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Betul C. Czerkawski
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Research Agenda ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Needs ◽  
Discussion Section ◽  
Computer Scientists ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Science Departments

It has been more than a decade since Jeanette Wing's (2006) influential article about computational thinking (CT) proposed CT to be a “fundamental skill for everyone” (p. 33) and that needs to be added to every child's knowledge and skill set like reading, writing and arithmetic. Wing suggested that CT is a universal skill, and not only for computer scientists. This call resonated with many educators leading to various initiatives by the International Society for Teacher in Education (ISTE) and Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) provided the groundwork to integrate CT into the K-12 curriculum. While CT is not a new concept and has been taught in computer science departments for decades, Wing's call created a shift towards educational computing and the need for integrating it into curriculum for all. Since 2006, many scholars have conducted empirical or qualitative research to study the what, how and why of CT. This chapter reviews the most current literature and identifies general research patterns, themes and directions for the future. The purpose of the chapter is to emphasize future research needs by cumulatively looking at what has been done to date in computational thinking research. Consequently, the conclusion and discussion section of the paper presents a research agenda for future.

scholarly journals Computational Thinking Integration Strategy for the Urban Middle School Classroom

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren Birney ◽  
Denise McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
New York ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Field Station ◽  
Science Project ◽  
Digital Platform ◽  
School Classroom ◽  
K 12

This article provides an overview of the work pioneered by the consortium of collaborators in the Billion Oyster Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Restoration Science Project (BOP-CCERS). The BOP-CCERS are working to support computational thinking in the New York City public school classrooms by creating curriculum which combines:1. The Field Station Research (Oyster Restoration Stations) and data collection2. The Billion Oyster Project Digital Platform and data input and storage 3. The New York State Science Intermediate Level Learning Standards. 4. The Computer Science Teachers Association K-12 Computer Science StandardsThe integration of computational thinking in the STEM middle school classroom is showcased through the intertwining of these dimensions into a trans-disciplinary learning experience that is rich in both content and practice. Students will be able to explain real-world phenomena found in their own community and design possible solutions through the key components of computational thinking.The Curriculum and Community Enterprise for Restoration Science Project digital platform and curriculum will be the resources that provide the underpinnings of the integration of computational thinking in the STEM middle school classroom. The primary functions of the platform include the collection and housing of the data pertaining to the harbor and its component parts, both abiotic and biotic and the storage of the curriculum for both the classroom and the field stations.

scholarly journals Mapping K-12 Computer Science Teacher’s Interest, Self-Confidence, and Knowledge about the Use of Educational Robotics to Teach

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 443
Author(s):  
Nuno Dorotea ◽  
João Piedade ◽  
Ana Pedro
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Educational Robotics ◽  
Online Application ◽  
Classroom Activities ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Teacher's Knowledge

This paper reports a case study, developed in K-12 Portuguese Education, that aimed to analyze the computer science teachers’ knowledge, interest, and self-confidence to use educational robotics and other programable objects in classroom activities to teach computer science concepts and to promote students’ computational thinking skills. The research design was organized into a descriptive and exploratory quantitative approach. The participants were 174 in-service computer science teachers of Portuguese public education. The data was gathered from the participants, through the online application of the Robotics Interest Questionnaire scale (RIQ). Very positive levels of teacher’s knowledge, interest, and self-efficacy to use educational robotics for teaching purposes were reported in the study outcomes. These constructs were underlined in several studies as relevant factors to promote the use of educational robotics and other similar technologies by the teachers. Despite the study limitations and the small context, a set of relevant results was highlighted on computer science in-service teachers’ interest and preparation to use robotics and to support their students in learning activities with these artifacts.

Preparing Special Education Preservice Teachers to Teach Computational Thinking and Computer Science in Mathematics

2021 ◽  
pp. 088840642199237
Author(s):  
Emily C. Bouck ◽  
Phil Sands ◽  
Holly Long ◽  
Aman Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Lesson Plans ◽  
Methods Course ◽  
Mathematics Methods ◽  
K 12

Increasingly in K–12 schools, students are gaining access to computational thinking (CT) and computer science (CS). This access, however, is not always extended to students with disabilities. One way to increase CT and CS (CT/CS) exposure for students with disabilities is through preparing special education teachers to do so. In this study, researchers explore exposing special education preservice teachers to the ideas of CT/CS in the context of a mathematics methods course for students with disabilities or those at risk of disability. Through analyzing lesson plans and reflections from 31 preservice special education teachers, the researchers learned that overall emerging promise exists with regard to the limited exposure of preservice special education teachers to CT/CS in mathematics. Specifically, preservice teachers demonstrated the ability to include CT/CS in math lesson plans and showed understanding of how CT/CS might enhance instruction with students with disabilities via reflections on these lessons. The researchers, however, also found a need for increased experiences and opportunities for preservice special education teachers with CT/CS to more positively impact access for students with disabilities.

scholarly journals Computational Thinking, Between Papert and Wing

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Lodi ◽  
Simone Martini
Keyword(s):  
Science Education ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Computer Science Education ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
School Curriculum ◽  
Common Theme ◽  
Technical Content ◽  
Technical Competencies ◽  
K 12 ◽  
Affective Involvement

AbstractThe pervasiveness of Computer Science (CS) in today’s digital society and the extensive use of computational methods in other sciences call for its introduction in the school curriculum. Hence, Computer Science Education is becoming more and more relevant. In CS K-12 education, computational thinking (CT) is one of the abused buzzwords: different stakeholders (media, educators, politicians) give it different meanings, some more oriented to CS, others more linked to its interdisciplinary value. The expression was introduced by two leading researchers, Jeannette Wing (in 2006) and Seymour Papert (much early, in 1980), each of them stressing different aspects of a common theme. This paper will use a historical approach to review, discuss, and put in context these first two educational and epistemological approaches to CT. We will relate them to today’s context and evaluate what aspects are still relevant for CS K-12 education. Of the two, particular interest is devoted to “Papert’s CT,” which is the lesser-known and the lesser-studied. We will conclude that “Wing’s CT” and “Papert’s CT,” when correctly understood, are both relevant to today’s computer science education. From Wing, we should retain computer science’s centrality, CT being the (scientific and cultural) substratum of the technical competencies. Under this interpretation, CT is a lens and a set of categories for understanding the algorithmic fabric of today’s world. From Papert, we should retain the constructionist idea that only a social and affective involvement of students into the technical content will make programming an interdisciplinary tool for learning (also) other disciplines. We will also discuss the often quoted (and often unverified) claim that CT automatically “transfers” to other broad 21st century skills. Our analysis will be relevant for educators and scholars to recognize and avoid misconceptions and build on the two core roots of CT.

Is it possible that playing a video game might help you improve your computational thinking abilities?

2022 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ceylan Zhao ◽  
Timothy Burgess
Keyword(s):  
Middle School ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Detrimental Effect ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Behavioral Effects ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
Feature Constraints

In this research, we looked at the cognitive and behavioral effects of playing Penguin Go, a video game that was created to help middle school kids improve their computational thinking (CT) abilities. Apart from the general efficacy of the game, we looked at the effects of a single game feature—constraints on the amount of blocks that may be used in a solution. Students' CT abilities increased dramatically after playing Penguin Go for fewer than two hours, according to the findings, but the extra limits had no meaningful effect on learning. Furthermore, although the game as a whole had no effect on students' views toward computer science, the limitations condition of the game had a detrimental effect on students' attitudes toward computer science. The outcomes of this study, as well as suggested possibilities for future research in the area of employing these sorts of games to build computational thinking abilities, are reviewed.

Four principles for assessing student-directed projects

2021 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 44-48
Author(s):  
Karen Brennan ◽  
Sarah Blum-Smith ◽  
Paulina Haduong
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Powerful Learning ◽  
K 12

Student-directed projects are a promising approach to supporting powerful learning, yet uncertainty about how to assess these projects presents a barrier to widespread incorporation in K-12 classrooms. Drawing on interviews with computer science teachers and an interdisciplinary literature review, Karen Brennan, Sarah Blum-Smith, and Paulina Haduong offer four principles to guide assessment of student-directed projects: recognizing the individuality of the learner, illuminating process, engaging multiple perspectives, and cultivating capacity for personal judgment. They describe the research behind these principles and provide and example of what they look like in practice.

English Learners (EL) and Computer Science (CS) Learning

2021 ◽  
pp. 70-87
Author(s):  
Sumi Hagiwara ◽  
Neledith Janis Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Computer Science ◽  
English Learners ◽  
Student Participation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Linguistic Challenges ◽  
K 12

The national call to increase student participation in CS is widely adopted, but there is limited research that examines English learners (EL) on the agenda for K-12 CS education. This chapter contributes to the literature by analyzing the landscape of EL in computer science and highlighting the linguistic challenges that EL students experience in CS. By understanding significant themes that emerge from these challenges, we conclude with recommendations on how to support EL and future research and strategies for creating a more equitable playing field in CS education for English learners.

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