Okvir za istraživanje nastave programiranja u srednjoškolskom obrazovanju

This study extensively reviews the literature on teaching programming to middle schoolers, with a qualitative content analysis method, and intends to put forth a research design framework for researchers that will guide them in the processes of planning and designing their research on teaching programming for middle school learners. For access to the relevant literature; the databases were searched by using the following keywords: “computer”, “programming”, and “middle school” together, limiting the findings to the articles published after 2000. As a result, an upward tendency was noted in studies about the teaching of programming at secondary level considering years, most of which are comprised of empirical ones. Also, the existing studies were mostly carried out with 6th graders predominantly employing data collection tools of questionnaires/scales and achievement tests. As for programming tools, Scratch was seen to be the most commonly used one. Although quite a few articles are investigating the context of the programming teaching lesson, some of the studies were found to use programming as a means of teaching mathematics, natural sciences, languages, writing skills, and social sciences. In conclusion, the present study is expected to pave the way for future research by highlighting the overall situation of programming teachingOvo istraživanje naširoko razmatra literaturu o nastavi programiranja u srednjim školama pomoću metode kvalitativne analize sadržaja i pretpostavlja se da će istraživačima ponuditi okvir za dizajniranje istraživanja koji će ih voditi u procesima planiranja i projektiranja njihovih istraživanja o nastavi programiranja u srednjoj školi. Za potrebe pristupa relevantnoj literaturi, pretražili smo baze podataka pomoću ključnih riječi „računalo” , „programiranje” i „srednja škola” uzetih zajedno, ograničavajući rezultate na članke objavljene nakon 2000. godine. Kao rezultat toga, primijetili smo porast trendova u istraživanjima o nastavi programiranja na srednjoškolskoj razini, uzimajući u obzir godine, od kojih je većina istraživanja empirijske naravi. Osim toga, postojeća su istraživanja uglavnom provedene s učenicima šestih razreda koji pretežno koriste alate za prikupljanje podataka u obliku upitnika/ljestvica i testova postignuća. Što se tiče alata za programiranje, Scratch je najčešće korišten. Iako postoji dosta članaka koji istražuju kontekst nastave programiranja, otkriveno je da neka istraživanja navode programiranje kao pomoćno sredstvo u učenju matematike, prirodnih znanosti, jezika, vještina pisanja i društvenih znanosti. Zaključno, valja napomenuti da se očekuje da će sadašnje istraživanje otvoriti put budućim istraživanjima, rasvjetljavajući cjelokupnu situaciju nastave programiranja

The effect of perceived relevance of digital badges on student engagement

Open digital badge systems have been promoted as potentially impactful interventions in education, but past studies have found learning and motivational effects that vary drastically by learner, and it is unclear what elements matter. This may be due to a failure to account for learners’ subjective evaluations of the badges themselves, which likely moderate the badges’ impact. I propose a theoretical model which unpacks the traditional “black box” view, shifting the focus from effects of digital badges to processes by which badges affect learners. In the initial model, learners’ subjective evaluation of badges determines their engagement with badges, which in turn influences their engagement with program activities. If there is such an effect, I am interested in whether it is a general mechanism across contexts; whether its effects are equitable with respect to age, sex, and race; and whether it may inform the design of better badging systems in the future. Chapter 1 situates this work in relation to previous digital badge research, and introduces a synthetic badge-facing factor called Perceived Badge Relevance (PBR) that represents the degree to which a learner finds a program’s badges “relevant” to them: whether the learner thinks the badges make sense, thinks they are valuable, and wants to earn them. Chapter 2 uses PBR to test for subjective evaluation of badges effects on learner engagement across 45 summer programs, finding an overall positive relationship between PBR and engagement that does not vary between programs. Shifting to a design-based research mode, Chapter 3 describes the design for a robust badge evidence system, used by the badge system in Chapter 4, which tests for a longitudinal effect of PBR in an online course. This study finds that PBR predicts rank-order shifts in engagement over time, is not “explained away” by long-term interest or demographics, and is neutral with respect to age, sex, and minoritized racial status. Engagement also predicts relative change in PBR, indicating the potential for a positive feedback loop. Chapter 5 synthesizes conclusions across studies, evaluates support for the subjective evaluation of badges hypothesis, and puts forth a continuing research agenda

Using Digital Devices in Classroom Learning: A Complexity Theory Perspective

Using digital devices in primary classrooms has become a common practice in many schools around the world. A considerable amount of research has explored this phenomenon. However, the majority of studies published in highly ranked educational technology journals have focused on the effectiveness of interventions related to using digital devices in primary classrooms and few studies examine students’ use of digital devices during learning which reflects a dominance of the reductionist approach in studying classroom environments. While there is rich literature addressing the outcomes of using devices, much is still unknown about the use itself. The present study aimed to understand how students use digital devices in classroom learning activities. It explored the ways of use, the factors that shaped these uses, and how the uses contributed to the purposes of learning activities. Approaches used to study phenomena in open recursive systems, such as classrooms, should be different from approaches used to study phenomena in closed systems under controlled conditions. Therefore, Complexity Theory provided a framework to understand the socio-materiality of digital devices in classrooms learning. In addition, Actor-Network Theory was used to study the phenomenon in action and Biesta’s (2009) framework of the functions of education to understand the contribution of the uses to educational purposes. This multiple case study was conducted in New Zealand within two schools where two teachers and seven upper-primary students participated in the study. Data were collected across six months through observations, semi-structured interviews, group interviews, informal conversations, student think-aloud interviews and artefacts from learning including video screen-captures. Data were coded and analysed using the thematic analysis and an abductive strategy. From a synthesis of the findings a ‘Using Devices for Classroom Learning’ model was developed in which seven patterns of use were identified. The children used their devices as a source of information, means of communication, production medium, external personal memory, collective memory coordinator, trial-and-error learning space, and as a research tool. Interconnected factors shaped these uses which were related to the educational system, school and classroom environment, teachers, students, and digital technologies. The findings showed how the seven uses contributed to the educational purposes of classroom learning which were classified into students’ qualifications, socialisation, and subjectification. However, some of these uses led to undesirable influence on students’ learning. This study provides theoretical and practical contributions to the field of using digital technologies in education. Complexity thinking, as a holistic approach, sheds light on blind spots of the educational process and acknowledges the complexity and uncertainty when using devices for learning in social complex systems such as classrooms. What emerges in classrooms does not result from separate factors but from a network of relationships and interactions of interconnected factors. The model developed provides an analysis tool for researchers and assists educators and policymakers to understand and anticipate the role of digital devices in classroom learning