Playful exploration and meaning making in and out of school with cross-curricula creative computing

This paper shows how the methods of software development and the art of computer programming can provide meaning in the school's and the wider curriculum, while encouraging a playful exploration and expression of knowledge with young people. The paper provides an analysis of computing's place in the educational world. This includes a focus on creativity in computing as an influence in helping people to explore information, communicate their worldview in an expressive and engaging way, and work well with other people in facilitating the expression of their ideas. The research into the influence of creative computing in the learning of both primary and secondary age pupils is focused on weekly computing clubs in a primary and secondary school. The self-study focuses on a pedagogical approach that is cross-curricula and design based, in keeping with professional practice of software development, and allows each child to uniquely express themselves within the living curriculum, while achieving results that are measureable within the given curriculum. The creative development of 150 children is used to demonstrate how computing can be used to reinforce the educational strands of literacy and numeracy, as well as other cross-curricula activities, such as evidence, environment and sustainability, and constructive self-expression

Challenges to Pedagogical Content Knowledge in lesson planning during curriculum transition: a multiple case study of teachers of ICT and Computing in England.

In September 2014 the new National Curriculum programmes of study for Computing became mandatory in England, replacing Information and Communications Technology (ICT) as a school subject and introducing Computer Science into schools. This posed a challenge for in-service ICT teachers without Computer Science subject knowledge: teachers needed to develop both subject and pedagogical knowledge to make the transition from teaching ICT to teaching Computing. This multiple case study explores teachers’ perceptions of the curriculum change and how they have responded in practical and pedagogical terms to planning lessons aligning with the new programmes of study. Nine teachers participated, each of whom had been teaching ICT pre-2014. The study used semi-structured interview questions while teachers engaged in lesson-planning activities, captured mostly using desktop-sharing via internet telephony. A modified version of Shulman’s pedagogical reasoning framework and Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) facilitated analysis of teachers’ pedagogic practices in lesson planning. The study shows teachers’ concerns about the lack of clarity surrounding the curriculum change, and the lack of access to suitable professional development (CPD). Most highlighted the primacy of programming and Computer Science at the expense of Information Technology and Digital Literacy, the other two strands of the new curriculum. The study also shows the dynamic nature of lesson planning. Knowledge deficits slowed down the fluency of teachers’ lesson-planning processes, but the use of lesson materials created by others helped them to develop PCK. The term transitional pedagogical reasoning has been used to describe the process by which unfamiliar but necessary concepts are assimilated into the pedagogical reasoning process while the teacher develops sufficient subject knowledge and PCK. Recommendations have been made for Computing curriculum policies to recognise and promote Computing pedagogy. This understanding should underpin initial teacher education in Computing, CPD for in-service teachers, and strategic development of the subject in the longer term

Design and technology – a decade of integrated curriculum development in product design at the University of Wolverhampton

This paper is a retrospective analysis of the development of an integrated curriculum in product design at Wolverhampton which brings together creative design, technology, materials, manufacture and computing. In the late 1980s the Schools of Art and Design, Engineering, Technology and Computing decided to introduce what at that time was a new type of degree in product design with a multidisciplinary approach that drew from expertise across the institution. The BSc (Hons) in computer aided product design which had its first student intake in 1989 aimed to develop a product designer with a richer blend of skills between design, technology and engineering, but which also put the student at the centre and developed a curriculum that fostered independent learning. Over the last decade a group of undergraduate honours awards have grown out of the successful computer aided product design degree including a BA in industrial design, a BSc in computer aided industrial design, and a BSc in computer aided engineering design. This paper reflects on the evolution of this curriculum in design over the last 10 years, concentrating on the following innovative areas: 1. development of independent learning to foster academic and practical design skills 2. integrating the technological and creative elements in the design project work 3. meeting future design, technological, and sociological needs through curriculum development

Master Teachers in Computing: what have we achieved?

Recent changes to the teaching of Computing in all schools in England have been profound and wide-ranging, changing the subject from one focussed on the use of ICT products to one focussed on the understanding and creation of computing systems. This change in the curriculum has created a strong demand for professional development of in-service teachers, to develop their skills and expertise to deliver this new curriculum. One approach to developing in-service teachers to deliver the new computing curriculum has been through the Computing At School Master Teacher programme, appointing and training experienced in-service teachers to deliver continual professional development (CPD) peer-to-peer. However, many potential Master Teachers require additional training before they can take up this role. In this paper, we describe how we have trained two cohorts of Master Teachers in two successive years. Evaluation of the first cohort informed revisions to the second cohort's training. The diverse needs of the individual trainees, identified through semi-structured interviews and analysis of completed tasks, led to a variety of CPD being delivered, but almost all required training and practice with programming. Before and during the programme, the trainers shared resources and had online meetings to discuss their work.This was useful in terms of establishing and maintaining consistency between different providers. The use of many teaching strategies that provided collaborative working and discussion opportunities were highly rated by the trainees. The first cohort of teachers has already delivered a significant amount of CPD in their first year after training. The second cohort are well placed to start their CPD delivery, with a better appreciation of where they need to develop their own skills

A Structural Equation Model Analysis of Computing Identity Sub-Constructs and Student Academic Persistence

This dissertation explores the impact of computing identity sub-constructs on the academic persistence of computing students. This research provides models, quantified relationships, and insights to increase the number of graduates with the intention of pursuing a career in computing. Despite the growing significance of computer science and all the projected new jobs in computer science, many university and college programs suffer from low student persistence rates. One theoretical framework used to better understand persistence in other STEM disciplines is disciplinary identity. Disciplinary identity refers to how students see themselves with respect to a discipline. This study examines the effects of computing identity sub-constructs (performance/competence, recognition, interest, and sense of belonging) on the academic persistence of computing students. A quantitative analysis with three phases was performed for this study. First, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation model (SEM) analysis were performed to validate and explore the relationship between sub-constructs in the computing identity model. Second, a multigroup SEM was performed to estimate the impact of the identity sub-constructs on persistence for students with diverse demographics in this case by gender and level of education. Third, a time-series SEM were used to investigate the impact of identity development on computing persistence over time. The findings indicated that students\u27 academic persistence was directly influenced by their interest as the most significant factor. In addition, performance, competence, recognition, and sense of belonging contributed to students’ identity development and academic persistence. Results of the second analysis indicated identity sub-constructs contributed differently to academic persistence among freshman and senior students; however, no significant differences were found between male and female students. Ultimately, the last analysis with time-series data indicated that interest and competence/performance, as individual factors had the strongest direct impacts on persistence over time. Considering student identity in understanding academic persistence in computing programs may provide a meaningful lens of analysis for institutes and their curriculum and extracurricular planning methods. In addition, the development of students’ self-beliefs provides ways for increasing the number of graduates with increased likelihood of pursuing computing careers

Computer science (CS) in the compulsory education curriculum:implications for future research

The subject of computer science (CS) and computer science education (CSE) has relatively recently arisen as a subject for inclusion within the compulsory school curriculum. Up to this present time, a major focus of technologies in the school curriculum has in many countries been on applications of existing technologies into subject practice (both software such as office applications, and hardware such as robots and sensors). Through uses of these applications, information and communications technologies (ICT) have focused on activities to support subject and topic learning (across wide age and subject ranges). Very recently, discussions for including computers in the curriculum have shifted to a much greater focus on computing and CS, more concerned with uses of and development of programming, together with fundamental principles of problem-solving and creativity. This paper takes a policy analysis approach; it considers evidence of current implementation of CSE in school curricula, the six main arguments for wider-scale introduction of the subject, the implications for researchers, schools, teachers and learners, the state of current discussions in a range of countries, and evidence of outcomes of CSE in compulsory curricula. The paper concludes by raising key questions for the future from a policy analysis perspective

Web Science: expanding the notion of Computer Science

Academic disciplines which practice in the context of rapid external change face particular problems when seeking to maintain timely, current and relevant teaching programs. In different institutions faculty will tune and update individual component courses while more radical revisions are typically departmental-wide strategic responses to perceived needs. Internationally, the ACM has sought to define curriculum recommendations since the 1960s and recognizes the diversity of the computing disciplines with its 2005 overview volume. The consequent rolling program of revisions is demanding in terms of time and effort, but an inevitable response to the change inherent is our family of specialisms. Preparation for the Computer Curricula 2013 is underway, so it seems appropriate to ask what place Web Science will have in the curriculum landscape. Web Science has been variously described; the most concise definition being the ‘science of decentralized information systems’. Web science is fundamentally interdisciplinary encompassing the study of the technologies and engineering which constitute the Web, alongside emerging associated human, social and organizational practices. Furthermore, to date little teaching of Web Science is at undergraduate level. Some questions emerge - is Web Science a transient artifact? Can Web Science claim a place in the ACM family, Is Web Science an exotic relative with a home elsewhere? This paper discusses the role and place of Web Science in the context of the computing disciplines. It provides an account of work which has been established towards defining an initial curriculum for Web Science with plans for future developments utilizing novel methods to support and elaborate curriculum definition and review. The findings of a desk survey of existing related curriculum recommendations are presented. The paper concludes with recommendations for future activities which may help us determine whether we should expand the notion of computer science

Investigating Curriculum Use and Its Impact on Teachers and Their Practice

This study provided insights into how upper elementary teachers from three southern school districts used standards based curriculum materials and the resulting changes in their beliefs, knowledge, and practice. Additionally, this study sought to identify whether the following four factors were predictors of change in teacher practice: coherence of the professional development program, opportunities to collaborate, years of teaching experience, and curriculum use. The participating school districts were selected through purposeful sampling with districts being chosen largely based on a strong commitment to implementing Eureka Math in their schools. For comparison purposes, a contrast school district was also included in the study. This study employed a mixed method sequential explanatory design with data collection occurring in two phases. First, a survey was administered to teacher participants which included Likert-scale items as well as three open-ended questions. After analysis was complete on this data, interviews were conducted with teachers and district leaders in an effort to further explain, clarify, and enhance the data from the survey administration. Analysis involved examining qualitative data for common themes and coding, computing descriptive statistics on the scales from the survey, and conducting a paired sample T-test as well as a stepwise multiple regression. The analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data in this study provided evidence that curriculum materials can serve as a teacher development tool and an agent of change in teacher practice. Analysis of quantitative data revealed that teaching practices shifted significantly as a result of curriculum use and also established coherence and years of teaching experience as predictors of change in teacher practice. Qualitative data supported these findings and uncovered connections across changes in teacher beliefs, knowledge, and practices. A single, prominent theme emerged across all three areas of teacher change related to problem solving instructional strategies. Curriculum use by teachers appeared to be stable across year one of implementation while in subsequent years, teachers shifted their use of the materials