3,027 research outputs found

    Computational Thinking in Education: Where does it fit? A systematic literary review

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    Computational Thinking (CT) has been described as an essential skill which everyone should learn and can therefore include in their skill set. Seymour Papert is credited as concretising Computational Thinking in 1980 but since Wing popularised the term in 2006 and brought it to the international community's attention, more and more research has been conducted on CT in education. The aim of this systematic literary review is to give educators and education researchers an overview of what work has been carried out in the domain, as well as potential gaps and opportunities that still exist. Overall it was found in this review that, although there is a lot of work currently being done around the world in many different educational contexts, the work relating to CT is still in its infancy. Along with the need to create an agreed-upon definition of CT lots of countries are still in the process of, or have not yet started, introducing CT into curriculums in all levels of education. It was also found that Computer Science/Computing, which could be the most obvious place to teach CT, has yet to become a mainstream subject in some countries, although this is improving. Of encouragement to educators is the wealth of tools and resources being developed to help teach CT as well as more and more work relating to curriculum development. For those teachers looking to incorporate CT into their schools or classes then there are bountiful options which include programming, hands-on exercises and more. The need for more detailed lesson plans and curriculum structure however, is something that could be of benefit to teachers

    INVESTIGATING FACTORS PREDICTING EFFECTIVE LEARNING IN A CS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR K-12 TEACHERS

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    The demand for K-12 Computer Science (CS) education is growing and there is not an adequate number of educators to match the demand. Comprehensive research was carried out to investigate and understand the influence of a summer two-week professional development (PD) program on teachers’ CS content and pedagogical knowledge, their confidence in such knowledge, their interest in and perceived value of CS, and the factors influencing such impacts. Two courses designed to train K-12 teachers to teach CS, focusing on both concepts and pedagogy skills were taught over two separate summers to two separate cohorts of teachers. Statistical and SWOT analyses were then performed using measures such as attitudinal surveys and knowledge assessments. Findings showed the PD program had a significant impact on the teachers, there was a positive correlation between teachers’ pre-program confidence and knowledge, and additional insights on how to deliver such PD programs more effectively. Results will help inform K-12 CS PD program design. Advisor: Leen-Kiat So

    Perceptions of Coding Instruction in K-12 Archdiocese of Los Angeles Catholic Schools

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    Traditional pedagogy offers students opportunities to enhance various skills and acquire content knowledge; however, additional steps can be taken to enhance student achievement, prepare them for future occupations, and bridge the divide in access to technology. A curriculum that integrates coding instruction affords students the opportunity to augment their collaboration, communication, creative thinking, and problem-solving skills. This is especially crucial for traditionally marginalized populations who have experienced inequitable access to technology. Nevertheless, coding is not integrated in schools in different domains, including Catholic institutions in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (ADLA). This dissertation used a descriptive and inferential quantitative methodology to survey K–12 Catholic school teachers’, administrators’, and STEM directors’ understanding of what coding entails, assess their perceptions of coding’s potential to enrich student achievement, to prepare them for future occupations, and diversify STEM representation both in academics and in the workplace, and evaluate the potential link between educator epistemology and pedagogy with the penchant to incorporate coding instruction and the constructionist framework in the classroom. The largest diocese of the country, the ADLA, was the sole focus of this study and the data demonstrated participants have a relatively limited understanding of what coding entails, but they do believe it results in various benefits for students. Nevertheless, their epistemology and pedagogy are not ripe for constructionism to take hold in the classroom to facilitate coding

    The student-produced electronic portfolio in craft education

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    The authors studied primary school students’ experiences of using an electronic portfolio in their craft education over four years. A stimulated recall interview was applied to collect user experiences and qualitative content analysis to analyse the collected data. The results indicate that the electronic portfolio was experienced as a multipurpose tool to support learning. It makes the learning process visible and in that way helps focus on and improves the quality of learning. © ISLS.Peer reviewe

    Evolution of Computational Thinking Contextualized in a Teacher-Student Collaborative Learning Environment.

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    The discussion of Computational Thinking as a pedagogical concept is now essential as it has found itself integrated into the core science disciplines with its inclusion in all of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS, 2018). The need for a practical and functional definition for teacher practitioners is a driving point for many recent research endeavors. Across the United States school systems are currently seeking new methods for expanding their students’ ability to analytically think and to employee real-world problem-solving strategies (Hopson, Simms, and Knezek, 2001). The need for STEM trained individuals crosses both the vocational certified and college degreed career spectrums. This embedded multiple case study employed mixed methods data to gain insights into the pedagogical practices, curriculum, and teacher-student interactions that occurred in three teacher’s lives. The study’s teachers were all using LSU’s Introduction to Computational Thinking (ICT) curriculum and the accompanying professional development program. The cases studied demonstrated that it was possible to train a teacher with no experience in computing to be a functional novice teacher. The three teachers demonstrated a pathway of professional growth that I classify as apprehension of the novelty, transitional growth with the content, and reinforced confidence from student interactions. The teachers were challenged by embracing new project/problem based pedagogical techniques and working in a virtual environment. Teacher success was reinforced through their ability to embrace reflective thinking practices with their students. The role of contextualization was examined as a critical factor in teacher professional evolution. The results have implications for future computing curriculum development and meaningful/ successful teacher training practices

    OnCreate and the virtual teammate: an analysis of online creative processes and remote collaboration

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    This paper explores research undertaken by a consortium of 10 universities from across Europe as part of an EU Erasmus Strategic Partnership project called OnCreate. Recent research and experiences prove the importance of the design and implementation of online courses that are learner-centred, include collaboration and integrate rich use of media in authentic environments. The OnCreate project explores the specific challenges of creative processes in such environments. The first research phase comprises a comparative qualitative analysis of collaboration practices in design-related study programmes at the ten participating universities. A key outcome of this research was in identifying the shortcomings of the hierarchical role models of established Learning Management Systems (such as Moodle or Blackboard) and the tendency towards evolving 'mash-up' environments to support creative online collaboration

    public class Graphic_Design implements Code { // Yes, but how? }: An investigation towards bespoke Creative Coding programming courses in graphic design education

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    Situated in the intersection of graphic design, computer science, and pedagogy, this dissertation investigates how programming is taught within graphic design education. The research adds to the understanding of the process, practice, and challenges associated with introducing an audience of visually inclined practitioners—who are often guided by instinct—to the formal and unforgiving world of syntax, algorithms, and logic. Motivating the research is a personal desire to contribute towards the development of bespoke contextualized syllabi specifically designed to accommodate how graphic designers learn, understand, and use programming as an integral skill in their vocational practice.The initial literature review identifies a gap needing to be filled to increase both practical and theoretical knowledge within the interdisciplinary field of computational graphic design. This gap concerns a lack of solid, empirically based epistemological frameworks for teaching programming to non-programmers in a visual context, partly caused by a dichotomy in traditional pedagogical practices associated with teaching programming and graphic design, respectively. Based on this gap, the overarching research question posed in this dissertation is: “How should programming ideally be taught to graphic designers to account for how they learn and how they intend to integrate programming into their vocational practice?”A mixed methods approach using both quantitative and qualitative analyses is taken to answer the research questions. The three papers comprising the dissertation are all built on individual hypotheses that are subsequently used to define three specific research questions.Paper 1 performs a quantitative mapping of contemporary, introductory programming courses taught in design schools to establish a broader understanding of their structure and content. The paper concludes that most courses are planned to favor programming concepts rather than graphic design concepts. The paper’s finding can serve as a point of departure for a critical discussion among researchers and educators regarding the integration of programming in graphic design education.Paper 2 quantitatively assesses how the learning style profile of graphic design students compares with that of students in technical disciplines. The paper identifies a number of significant differences that call for a variety of pedagogic and didactic strategies to be employed by educators to effectively teach programming to graphic designers. Based on the results, specific recommendations are given.Paper 3 proposes a hands-on, experiential pedagogic method specifically designed to introduce graphic design students to programming. The method relies on pre-existing commercial graphic design specimens to contextualize programming into a domain familiar to graphic designers. The method was tested on the target audience and observations on its use are reported. Qualitative evaluation of student feedback suggests the method is effective and well-received. Additionally, twenty-four heuristics that elaborate and extend the paper’s findings by interweaving other relevant and influential sources encountered during the research project are provided. Together, the literature review, the three papers, and the heuristics provide comprehensive and valuable theoretical and practical insights to both researchers and educators, regarding key aspects related to introducing programming as a creative practice in graphic design education

    Computational Thinking Self-Efficacy in High School Latin Language Learning

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    Research suggests that computational thinking is a necessary skill exercised in STEM courses, non-STEM fields, and in everyday life. However, very little research has investigated the potential transfer of computational thinking self-efficacy available through classical Latin courses. This causal comparative study contrasted the computational thinking self-efficacy of computer science students with no exposure to Latin to computer science students with exposure to Latin at a Memphis all-boy high school. The independent variables were Latin language learning experience, i.e., up to 6 years total of Latin language learning (n = 33), versus 0 years of Latin language learning experience (n = 20). Additional data on the number of years enrolled in other foreign languages was collected. The dependent variable was mean scores of items found on a computational thinking and problem solving self-efficacy scale. This instrument uses a Likert scale to measure students self-efficacy in nine computational thinking components including algorithmic thinking; abstraction; problem decomposition; data collection, representation, and analysis; parallelization; control flow; incremental and iterative; testing and debugging; and questioning. Conducting this research addressed the question of whether the computational thinking skills present in Latin can transfer to a students computational thinking self-efficacy which may affect STEM/computer science course achievement. To test the null hypothesis that having a Latin language learning yields no significant influence on computer science students self-efficacy in computational thinking and problem solving, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) test was utilized for this causal-comparative study. To test the null hypotheses that having a Latin language learning yields no significant influence on computer science students abstraction, problem decomposition, data, parallelization, control flow, incremental and iterative, testing and debugging, and questioning skills self-efficacy, a separate ANOVA test were run for each computational thinking skill component.The data did not meet of the necessary assumptions for a MANOVA test. The sample size for the non-Latin group was a concern at n = 20. The means from the descriptive statistics show that the non-Latin group outscored the Latin group in most of the computational thinking skills. Pillais trace statistic from the MANOVA test showed no statistical significance in the computational thinking and problem solving scale. The individual results from the ANOVA tests showed no statistical significance for any of the nine subscales

    Introducing Computational Thinking in K-12 Education: Historical, Epistemological, Pedagogical, Cognitive, and Affective Aspects

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    Introduction of scientific and cultural aspects of Computer Science (CS) (called "Computational Thinking" - CT) in K-12 education is fundamental. We focus on three crucial areas. 1. Historical, philosophical, and pedagogical aspects. What are the big ideas of CS we must teach? What are the historical and pedagogical contexts in which CT emerged, and why are relevant? What is the relationship between learning theories (e.g., constructivism) and teaching approaches (e.g., plugged and unplugged)? 2. Cognitive aspects. What is the sentiment of generalist teachers not trained to teach CS? What misconceptions do they hold about concepts like CT and "coding"? 3. Affective and motivational aspects. What is the impact of personal beliefs about intelligence (mindset) and about CS ability? What the role of teaching approaches? This research has been conducted both through historical and philosophical argumentation, and through quantitative and qualitative studies (both on nationwide samples and small significant ones), in particular through the lens of (often exaggerated) claims about transfer from CS to other skills. Four important claims are substantiated. 1. CS should be introduced in K-12 as a tool to understand and act in our digital world, and to use the power of computation for meaningful learning. CT is the conceptual sediment of that learning. We designed a curriculum proposal in this direction. 2. The expressions CT (useful to distantiate from digital literacy) and "coding" can cause misconceptions among teachers, who focus mainly on transfer to general thinking skills. Both disciplinary and pedagogical teacher training is hence needed. 3. Some plugged and unplugged teaching tools have intrinsic constructivist characteristics that can facilitate CS learning, as shown with proposed activities. 4. Growth mindset is not automatically fostered by CS, while not studying CS can foster fixed beliefs. Growth mindset can be fostered by creative computing, leveraging on its constructivist aspects
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