13,622 research outputs found
Improving the Computational Thinking Pedagogical Capabilities of School Teachers
The idea of computational thinking as skills and universal competence which every child should possess emerged last decade and has been gaining traction ever since. This raises a number of questions, including how to integrate computational thinking into the curriculum, whether teachers have computational thinking pedagogical capabilities to teach children, and the important professional development and training areas for teachers. The aim of this paper is to address the strategic issues by illustrating a series of computational thinking workshops for Foundation to Year 8 teachers held at an Australian university. Data indicated that teachers\u27 computational thinking understanding, pedagogical capabilities, technological know-how and confidence can be improved in a relatively short period of time through targeted professional learning
She is a computer scientist: a quantitative comparison between the effectiveness of game design studios and robotics at enhancing women\u27s learning of, self-efficacy in, attitudes toward, and domain identification with computer science
The underrepresentation of women in computer science is a serious issue with ramifications that affect not only women working in the field, but also the field at large and the national economy. While the problem is attributed to several interconnected causes, such as computer knowledge, experience, and familiarity; they do not tell the entire story, nor do they point to a global trend. Studies indicate that these factors did not stop the computer science field from achieving a balanced male-female ratio in non-western countries. Since no single factor can be attributed as the primary cause of this complicated problem, and in an effort to minimize the issue and move computer science in western countries closer toward an egalitarian model, the approach taken to enhance the representation of women in computer science needed to be multifaceted. The most common factors revealed in the literature as possible contributors to the problem were listed and categorized. Based on these factors, the study hypothesized a model (Amalâs Model) and tested its effectiveness at predicting studentsâ domain identifications with computer science. Following this, the study suggested and tested the impact of coupling constructionist gaming with studio pedagogy in a game design studio on studentsâ, especially womenâs, learning of, self-efficacy in, attitudes toward, and domain identifications with computer science. The results compared the implementation of the game design studio with robotics and traditional pedagogical practices.
The participant body (N=94) was composed primarily of computer science majors and non-majors who were enrolled during the Fall 2017 semester. The research design included block randomization in order to make sure that the male-female ratio was relatively balanced across all of the groups. A pre-posttest experimental design was utilized to compare studentsâ learning of, self-efficacy in, attitudes toward, and domain identifications with computer science in three groups: game design studio, robotics and coding, and a control group, with special attention to any gender-based differences that were revealed during the study. The data were analyzed using statistical tests and results showed that Amalâs Model was significantly effective at predicting studentsâ (both menâs and womenâs) domain identifications with computer science. The study showed that aspects of Amalâs Model, including studentsâ learning of, self-efficacy in, and attitudes toward computer science, were significant predictors of their computer domain identifications with the field. The results concluded that increasing womenâs domain identifications with the field, to match domain identification levels held by men, would, in turn, encourage women to pursue a degree in the field.
Results from the current study showed that the game design studio had a significant impact on studentsâ (both menâs and womenâs) learning of, self-efficacy in, attitudes toward and domain identifications with computer science when compared with the control group. When robotics was added to the comparison, the game design studio was effective at improving studentsâ learning and attitudes, and significantly effective at improving their self-efficacy and domain identifications from the pre-test to the pos-test. Unlike the findings produced by several other studies conducted in this area, when students in the study were asked about the suitability of the field for women, the majority of women and men involved agreed that the field is suitable for women.
In analyzing the results for apparent gender-related changes in studentsâ learning, self-efficacy, attitudes, and domain identifications from pre-test to the post-test, it was found that both teaching approaches were effective at improving menâs and womenâs learning from the pretest to the post-test. Regardless of the differences between groups in menâs learning of, self-efficacy in, attitudes toward, and domain identification with the field, the differences were statistically insignificant across the groups. While women in the robotics and coding group had significantly higher self-efficacy beliefs than the control group, women in the game design studio showed significant improvements, not only in their self-efficacy, but in their learning, attitudes and domain identifications when compared with the control group. Even though women in the game design studio had slightly lower domain identification levels than men in the same group, they demonstrated the highest statistical improvement in their domain identification with computer science when compared to not only the control group, but also the robotics and coding group. The study demonstrated that women in the control group consistently had the lowest scores in their learning of, self-efficacy in, attitudes toward, and domain identifications with computer science. The results, including current findings and recommendations for enhancing the representation of women in computer science, and suggestions for future studies, were discussed in great detail
Teaching Girls Online Skills: Results of the Wikid Grrls Intervention
In 2013-2016 we designed and implemented Wikid Grrls, a 10-week after-school workshop series to teach online skills to middle school girls in U.S. schools. We interviewed and surveyed 80 participants before and after the workshops. Girlsâ online skills and confidence in them increased measurably for the duration of the workshop series. Participants expressed great interest in learning more, but media literacy programs at their schools regarding online skills were lacking. Using feminist theories and the reader-to-leader framework, we argue that such media literacy interventions bring immediate learning rewards for participants. Yet, we conclude that to narrow gender gaps in digital knowledge creation and sharing, media literacy classes that include online skills should become regular features in U.S. school curricula instead of being offered merely in voluntary programs. Future research should assess long-term benefits of media literacy interventions to teach online skills longitudinally to see if and how such initiatives figure into later school and career decisions
Captains at the STEM of Their Own Ship: An Examination of Underrepresented Minority Student Participation in a Self-Directed, ICT After-School Intervention
Recent studies have advocated for early adoption of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in order to help a broader range of youth become creators rather than consumers of digital media, to open doors for opportunity in the lucrative technology sector, and to set them on a course for lifelong STEM/ICT learning. This study used data that was collected from a grant funded, multi-site, after-school program designed to help a group of students who are often underrepresented in ICT learn about computing through a unique instructional design for guiding students through the creation of mobile apps using a freely accessible block-based coding platform developed by MIT called App Inventor. The study employed a concurrent, triangulation mixed methods approach to data analysis. Data sources included participant-observer field notes, interviews, student artifacts, online surveys, and an assessment of outcomes related to a construct called computational thinking. The purpose of the intervention and this proposed study was to examine whether participants in the program learned coding and related concepts, developed an interest in STEM/ICT subject matter, and gained an optimistic view of their abilities related to 21st century computing skills. In addition, the researcher hoped to identify which aspects of the instructional design may have facilitated progress towards these goals
Female Students in Computer Science Education: Understanding Stereotypes, Negative Impacts, and Positive Motivation
Although female students engage in coding courses, only a small percentage of
them plan to pursue computer science (CS) as a major when choosing a career
path. Gender differences in interests, sense-of belonging, self-efficacy, and
engagement in CS are already present at an early age. This article presents an
overview of gender stereotypes in CS and summarizes negative impressions female
students between 12 and 15 experience during CS classes, as well as influences
that may be preventing girls from taking an interest in CS. The study herein
draws on a systematic review of 28 peer-reviewed articles published since 2006.
The findings of the review point to the existence of the stereotypical image of
a helpless, uninterested, and unhappy "Girl in Computer Science". It may be
even more troubling a construct than that of the geeky, nerdy male counterpart,
as it is rooted in the notion that women are technologically inept and
ill-suited for CS careers. Thus, girls think they must be naturally
hyper-intelligent in order to pursue studies in CS, as opposed to motivated,
interested, and focused to succeed in those fields. Second, based on the
review, suggestions for inclusive CS education were summarized. The authors
argue that in order to make CS more inclusive for girls, cultural implications,
as well as stereotypization in CS classrooms and CS education, need to be
recognized as harmful. These stereotypes and cultural ideas should be
eliminated by empowering female students through direct encouragement,
mentoring programs, or girls-only initiatives.Comment: 22 page
Understanding the evaluation of access and participation outreach interventions for under 16 year olds
The project team was asked to address the following six research questions and these were used to guide the project: 1. What are the intended outcomes for current outreach interventions directed at under 16 year olds from disadvantaged backgrounds where the long-term aim is to widen access to higher education (HE)? 2. What types of outreach intervention activity or activities are institutions using in relation to intended outcomes? 3. What evaluation tools, methods and metrics are being used to measure the intended outcomes? 4. What are the perceived and actual challenges and barriers for different stakeholders to effective evaluation of long-term outreach? 5. What do different stakeholders consider most effective evaluation practice and why? 6. How valid and suitable are the evaluation tools, methods and metrics (identified through the research) that are commonly used? The project was constructed around six interlinked work packages: 1. A quantitative analysis of what higher education providers (HEPs) say about their pre-16 outreach activities (and their evaluation) in their 2017-18 access agreements (as the most recent available). 2. An online survey of HEPs to gather information about the pre-16 outreach activities delivered during the 2016-17 academic year and their evaluation, as well as the structure of their evaluation resources and challenges faced. 3. Case studies of four HEPs identified as demonstrating elements of good practice through their access agreements and the online survey, derived from telephone interviews with key staff and documentary analysis. 4. Telephone interviews with 11 third sector organisations (TSOs) to explore their practices and the evaluation of their activities, providing a counterpoint to the data collected from higher education institutions (HEIs). 5. A synthesis of the four preceding work packages to explore elements of good practice, determine a basis for assessing the quality of evaluations and highlight challenges for the sector and OFFA. 6. An invited participatory workshop for evaluators from HEPs and TSOs identified as demonstrating elements of good practice through the online survey and telephone interviews, to act as a sounding board for the emerging conclusions and recommendations.Office for Students (OfS
What Motivates First-generation College Students to Consider an IT Career? An Integrative Perspective
A career in information technology (IT) presents a viable source of economic advancement for college graduates, but ethnic minority students remain underrepresented in the IT workforce. Such underrepresentation is often exacerbated by their first-generation student (FGS) status. Yet, it remains unclear what leads to FGSsâ IT career choice compared to their counterparts. To address this gap, this study aims to reveal the factors motivating FGSs to consider an IT career and examines the association of influencing factors with personal and demographic factors (gender, race, ethnicity). This qualitative research overlays capital theory and social cognitive career theory to develop an integrated sensitizing framework and draws on individual difference theory in interpreting the findings. Our analysis of the open-ended narrative responses of 193 surveys collected from a minority-serving university revealed 10 key factors influencing IT career choice. A theoretical model incorporating individual differences, generational status, and environmental influences is proposed to advance the discussion of influencing factors in IT career choice toward further theory building and empirical testing. The paper concludes with implications for motivating the IT career choice of the ethnic minority, first-generation student population
A multimethod exploration of stigma towards people with intellectual disability in Indonesia
This thesis aims to explore the stigma associated with people with intellectual disability (ID) in the Indonesian context. The thesis encapsulates a systematic review and three inter-related empirical studies carried out using a multimethod framework to address the aim. The systematic review includes 24 studies, exploring ID stigma in Southeast Asia. A narrative synthesis was performed to synthesise the findings of the reviewed studies. The review highlights the role of cultural factors in shaping the stigma towards people with ID. Of the remaining three studies, the first explores professionalsâ attitudes towards people with ID and their inclusion in Indonesian society. Fifteen professionals i.e. teachers, psychologists, medical doctors, and religious leaders were interviewed. Thematic analysis identified seven themes, namely âperceived cause of IDâ, âuse of terminologyâ, âattitudes towards people with IDâ, âattitudes towards the inclusion of people with IDâ, âreligion and IDâ, âfamily-centric supportâ, and âchallenges faced by people with ID in wider contextâ. The second study adapts a self-report stigma questionnaire, that was developed in the UK, to the Indonesian context. One hundred adults with mild to moderate ID completed the questionnaire. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire and participantsâ responses to the final items of the questionnaire were examined. The Indonesian version of questionnaire consists of 11 items with sound psychometric properties. The third study is a qualitative exploration of experienced stigma and inclusion of adults with mild to moderate ID in society. Fifteen participants were purposively selected from the one hundred participants recruited in the second study. Thematic analysis identified four themes including âdiscrimination and poor treatmentâ, âreaction to and impact of stigmaâ, âlimited social life and activitiesâ, and âwish for a normal lifeâ. Following the multimethod framework, the findings from the three empirical studies were integrated and presented in a stand-alone study. The integration of the findings further highlights the stigma experienced by adults with mild to moderate ID in Indonesian society
Examining the use of robots as teacher assistants in UAE classrooms : teacher and student perspectives
Aim/Purpose - This study sought to understand the views of both teachers and students on the usage of humanoid robots as teaching assistants in a specifically Arab context. Background - Social robots have in recent times penetrated the educational space. Although prevalent in Asia and some Western regions, the uptake, perception and acceptance of educational robots in the Arab or Emirati region is not known. Methodology - A total of 20 children and 5 teachers were randomly selected to comprise the sample for this study, which was a qualitative exploration executed using focus groups after an NAO robot (pronounced now) was deployed in their school for a day of revision sessions. Contribution - Where other papers on this topic have largely been based in other countries, this paper, to our knowledge, is the first to examine the potential for the integration of educational robots in the Arab context. Findings - The students were generally appreciative of the incorporation of humanoid robots as co-teachers, whereas the teachers were more circumspect, expressing some concerns and noting a desire to better streamline the process of bringing robots to the classroom. Recommendations for Practitioners - We found that the malleability of the robotâs voice played a pivotal role in the acceptability of the robot, and that generally students did well in smaller groups with the robot; teachers expressed concern that the children would become easily distracted should too many children be privy to one robot. Recommendations for Researchers - Our results provide valuable recommendations for researchers in the area. We believe, there needs to be continued efforts in devising suitable methodological assessment tools to evaluate student and teacher attitudes in the classroom particularly in the Arab world. We also advise researchers to focus on providing adaptive behavior in the context of educational robots. There are different distinct areas that need further clarifications and study based on our review. Impact on Society - On a wider scale, the findings of this paper have a huge implication for the educational technology as the integration of robotics in education is one of the emerging trends in the area, particularly in the UAE. This study allows to answer questions related to attitudes and perceptions of both teachers and students toward educational robots in the UAE. Future Research - Possible avenues of research in the area include focusing on the adaptive and natural behavior of robots in disciplines other than Mathematics as a means of successfully integrating robots in the classroom
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