Using Technology to Enhance Pre-Service Teacher Preparation

Use of the internet to deliver a portion of the content in an introductory science, education, and technology methods course for pre-service teachers provides an opportunity for a much needed introduction to basic computer literacy. A web page was developed for use in conjunction with the math, science, and technology educational methods courses at Brooklyn College. Students are introduced to this page as a group in the computer lab, and work in small groups with more experienced students serving as mentors to other students. The Brooklyn College Science Education Webpage is designed as a simple jump page with links to various resources for science education. It serves as a starting point to expose pre-service teachers to a wide range of resources available to them on the world wide web and in the real world. Students use their internet research skills in open-ended assignments throughout the semester. The web page continues to serve as a resource for students in the next courses in the math and science education sequence. The Brooklyn College Science Education Webpage helps education graduates to begin their teaching better prepared to use technology in the classroom

Measuring the effectiveness of computer-based scientific visualisations for conceptual development in Australian chemistry classrooms

Visual modes of representation have always been very important in science and science education. Interactive computer-based animations and simulations offer new visual resources for chemistry education. Many studies have shown that students enjoy learning with visualisations but few have explored how learning outcomes compare when teaching with or without visualisations. This study employs a quasi-experimental crossover research design and quantitative methods to measure the educational effectiveness - defined as level of conceptual development on the part of students - of using computer-based scientific visualisations versus teaching without visualisations in teaching chemistry. In addition to finding that teaching with visualisations offered outcomes that were not significantly different from teaching without visualisations, the study also explored differences in outcomes for male and female students, students with different learning styles (visual, aural, kinesthetic) and students of differing levels of academic ability

Analysis of the Development of the University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek and It's Role in Building the Information Society

Universities play a significant role in the development of the society they act in. Their role is mainly felt at regional level. Nevertheless, through their scientific research, artistic and educational work, universities have a significant impact on a wider environment as well. The University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek, continuing a three-century-long tradition of higher education in Eastern Croatia, is one of the most important factors of development of the region. The new millennium has posed new challenges. The ongoing transformation process is extremely complex and requires the engagement of not only the entire academic community, but also of any entity interacting with the university. In order to give an overview of the main development trends of the University over the past ten years, the study presented in this paper applies adequate statistical methods and models. Deriving from the commitment taken by Croatia to found its social and economic progress on building an information society, the study puts special emphasis on analysing the possibility for the University of Josip Juraj Strossmayer in Osijek to actively contribute to the above process by providing conditions for the implementation of research programmes and projects as well as for the education and training of computer science human resources.regional university, economic development, statistical methods and models, information society, education and training of computer science human resources

Developing Information and Communication Technologies for Education in Haiti

This research aims to aid in developing educational technologies for students and teachers in Haiti. The goal of the research project is to increase computer familiarity and literacy. To achieve this objective, a design science and mixed methods approach is developed. The design science approach focuses on building prototype artifacts consisting of software tutorials, computer on a stick, and Internet in a box. The qualitative and quantitative research methods consist of visual comprehension, discussion with students and teachers, data gathering and analysis through census and survey processing systems. Quantitative data is still being analyzed. Both methods may be utilized for expanding technological education in other developing countries

Using Scrum to Teach Standards-Based K-12 Computer Science: A Prosepectus for a Master’s Level Methods Class at Buffalo State

Computer Science has been increasingly prevalent in K-12 education in recent decades. Most Americans believe that Computer Science is as important as other skills taught in school; further, parents are putting pressure on districts to offer Computer Science programs (1.1). To meet this demand, many teacher preparation programs are adding Computer Science Education to their offering of degrees. This thesis investigates Agile and Scrum product development as a potential method of Computer Science instruction, explores the standards relevant to a Computer Science teacher, and offers a prospectus for a new Graduate Level Methods class to prepare Computer Science teachers to utilize the Scrum framework in standards-based instruction at the K-12 level (1.3). To create the prospectus, research from peer-reviewed articles, case-studies, and implementation guides relating to the topics of Scrum and Computer Science standards are reviewed. The implementation, validity and importance of Scrum, and its educational variant eduScrum, are compared based on the roles, rituals, and artifacts utilized in each framework. The results justify eduScrum as a valid method for problem-based, constructivist Computer Science instruction (2.10-2.12). The background, validity, and importance of three sets of Computer Science standards (K-12 Computer Science Framework, NYSED, and ISTE) are explored (3.1-3.3). These standards were selected for their relevancy to Computer Science certification in New York State and the support of industry, professionals, and lawmakers. The results justify the inclusion of all three standards as crucial to curriculum in New York State (3.4). The thesis culminates in the creation of a prospectus for the Student Learning Objectives and structure of a Methods of Computer Science Instruction class at the Graduate level (4.1-4.4). The SLO’s are created utilizing Bloom’s taxonomy (4.1). The prospectus recommends Scrum in the creation of Learning Segments utilizing relevant standards, topics, concepts and research literature. The prospectus models Scrum at all levels and is a valid way to teach constructivist, problem-based learning (4.2). More research is needed on the effectiveness of Scrum with low performing students, the use of eduScrum at the K-12 level and the implementation of the prospectus as a class at SUNY/Buffalo State

Voices of African American Women in Computer Science: Implications for K-12 Stem Education and Beyond

Voices of African American Women in Computer Science is a qualitative dissertation about African American women who have successfully completed a computer science degree. This research explored how computer science education departments in predominantly White institutions (PWIs) contribute to the oppression of African American females. Critical race feminism (CRF) provides the platform that places the voices of women of color who have successfully obtained a computer science degree despite difficulties that have been imposed by the reality of racial biases that are present throughout the American education system and American culture at large. This research was guided by the following primary question: What are the unique experiences that have influenced the success of African American females, who have obtained degrees in computer science from PWIs? in order to establish fulfilling narratives of the participants\u27 experiences the following secondary questions are also relevant: What factors have influenced participants\u27 decision to major in computer science? What were the experiences of the participants during their time in their computer science program? How do these women make meaning of their experiences? Both narrative analysis and analysis of narrative was used to interpret data gathered using detailed interviews. Findings were presented using both methods in an attempt to show a detailed use of data, as well as to also push the boundaries of CRF with the creation of guidelines for CRF methodology. the results show that African American women in computer science have unique but powerful stories. This study highlights both positive, and negative factors that influenced these women during and after their academic experiences and fills gaps left by previous research in this area. Overall, this study holds implications for K-12 and higher education institutions as well as policymakers, and those who would simply pick up the torch of mentorship

An introductory educational board game for use in early computer science education

Early computer science education should be necessary in high school curricula, but often it becomes inextricably linked to the act of programming instead of the study of the principles of computation. In order to divest computer science from programming a new teaching medium is needed, and early research into games as teaching tools shows some positive results when used properly. In order to find a better way to teach early computer science concepts I have designed and implemented a board game which illustrates and defines a few necessary computer science terms and mechanics. I had reasonable success in the classroom, with mixed results from two completely different groups of students. The game seems effective, but my methods of teaching and lesson plan surrounding the game weakened the gains I recorded. I plan on reworking the base rules and developing new expansions which would increase the playability of the game and simplify the methods for delivery of the computer science material covered during a game sessio

Complex systems science: expert consultation report

Executive SummaryA new programme of research in Complex Systems Science must be initiated by FETThe science of complex systems (CS) is essential to establish rigorous scientific principles on which to develop the future ICT systems that are critical to the well-being, safety and prosperity of Europe and its citizens. As the “ICT incubator and pathfinder for new ideas and themes for long-term research in the area of information and communication technologies” FET must initiate a significant new programme of research in complex systems science to underpin research and development in ICT. Complex Systems Science is a “blue sky” research laboratory for R&D in ICT and their applications. In July 2009, ASSYST was given a set of probing questions concerning FET funding for ICT-related complex systems research. This document is based on the CS community’s response.Complex systems research has made considerable progress and is delivering new scienceSince FET began supporting CS research, considerable progress has been made. Building on previous understanding of concepts such as emergence from interactions, far-from-equilibrium systems, border of chaos and self-organised criticality, recent CS research is now delivering rigorous theory through methods of statistical physics, network theory, and computer simulation. CS research increasingly demands high-throughput data streams and new ICT-based methods of observing and reconstructing, i.e. modelling, the dynamics from those data in areas as diverse as embryogenesis, neuroscience, transport, epidemics, linguistics, meteorology, and robotics. CS research is also beginning to address the problem of engineering robust systems of systems of systems that can adapt to changing environments, including the perplexing problem that ICT systems are too often fragile and non-adaptive.Recommendation: A Programme of Research in Complex Systems Science to Support ICTFundamental theory in Complex Systems Science is needed, but this can only be achieved through real-world applications involving large, heterogeneous, and messy data sets, including people and organisations. A long-term vision is needed. Realistic targets can be set. Fundamental research can be ensured by requiring that teams include mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists and computational social scientists.One research priority is to develop a formalism for multilevel systems of systems of systems, applicable to all areas including biology, economics, security, transportation, robotics, health, agriculture, ecology, and climate change. Another related research priority is a scientific perspective on the integration of the new science with policy and its implementation, including ethical problems related to privacy and equality.A further priority is the need for education in complex systems science. Conventional education continues to be domain-dominated, producing scientists who are for the most part still lacking fundamental knowledge in core areas of mathematics, computation, statistical physics, and social systems. Therefore:1. We recommend that FET fund a new programme of work in complex systems science as essential research for progress in the development of new kinds of ICT systems.2. We have identified the dynamics of multilevel systems as the area in complex systems science requiring a major paradigm shift, beyond which significant scientific progress cannot be made.3. We propose a call requiring: fundamental research in complex systems science; new mathematical and computational formalisms to be developed; involving a large ‘guinea pig’ organisation; research into policy and its meta-level information dynamics; and that all research staff have interdisciplinary knowledge through an education programme.Tangible outcomes, potential users of the new science, its impact and measures of successUsers include (i) the private and public sectors using ICT to manage complex systems and (ii) researchers in ICT, CSS, and all complex domains. The tangible output of a call will be new knowledge on the nature of complex systems in general, new knowledge of the particular complex system(s) studied, and new knowledge of the fundamental role played by ICT in the research and implementation to create real systems addressing real-world problems. The impact of the call will be seen through new high added-value opportunities in the public and private sectors, new high added-value ICT technologies, and new high added-value science to support innovation in ICT research and development. The measure of success will be through the delivery of these high added-value outcomes, and new science to better understand failures

Computer Tutorials and Drill-Practice Strategies on Senior Science Students\u27 Academic Achievement on Energy Transformation in Nature, Uyo, Nigeria

The study used computer tutorial and drill- practice strategies to investigate students\u27 achievement on energy transformation in nature, Uyo, Nigeria. The study was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. Quasi-experimental design of non-randomized pretest, posttest control group was used for the study. Population was all 2,629 senior secondary two students and sample size was 210 science students selected from three secondary schools in their intact classes using purposive sampling technique. The instrument for data collection was Achievement Test. Three lecturers of test, measurement and evaluation in Science Education did instrument validation. Reliability index was .85 obtained using Kuder-Richardson Formulae-21. Data analysis for research questions used mean and standard deviation and ANCOVA for hypotheses formulated at .05 significant level. Findings revealed that students taught computer tutorial achieved and retained higher than those taught with computer drill-practice and lecture methods. Gender is a non-significant factor in academic achievement of students. The findings concluded that, computer tutorial enhances students\u27 academic achievement in energy transformation in nature. The study recommends that teachers of science embrace computer tutorial and drill-practice strategies in teaching science concepts

Increasing Female Enrollment in High School Computer Science Education

“Women have played a vital role in the field of computer science and information technology (IT), developing some of the most essential components of modern IT” (Purdue University Global, 2018). Despite their prominence and achievements in these career fields, computer science has experienced a noticeable decline in the representation of females in industry and in programs of study. This is not a phenomenon reserved for the college classroom and/or the world of work, but is a situation present across schools in the P-12 arena, to include ZBF High School. As such, the purpose of this work was to examine the problem of practice on how to increase the number of females enrolling in computer science education at ZBF High School. Two research questions emerged and were instrumental in guiding the direction of this study: (1) Why are female students underrepresented in computer science education at ZBF High School? and (2) What are the influencing factors on females’ decisions regarding computer science? A mixed-methods research protocol was selected to conduct the investigation, which sought to discover why females were underrepresented, as well as to determine the influencing factors. Based on a survey of 24 ninth grade female students, combined with focus group input from six of the survey participants, the data revealed that females at ZBF High School are generally not interested in computer science. Self-efficacy in math and related courses/activities were deemed to be the driving force behind the lack of interest. To rectify this situation, it was determined that a concerted effort on the part of all stakeholders, to include students, would need to be undertaken to fashion a solution that could engender change. The need to increase the number of females in the area of computer science education was an issue that had characteristic implications of an instructional and/or a systemic nature and, therefore, warranted an investigation that began with the impacted group, female students. Based on literature and results of this study, the computer science curriculum could better serve its intended purpose if it were to be revamped and vertically articulated so that “recruitment” actually begins at the elementary level. This revised and realigned curriculum should incorporate activities and/or courses that would engage female students in creative design and resourceful problem solving projects that would allow them to see how human computer interaction is utilized to help people and society. As documented in research, activities of this nature would capture the attention of female students in a manner that would lead them to select computer science as a course of study at the high school level. Successful execution of this recommended restructuring would have the propensity to reverse the problem of underrepresentation of females in computer science education at ZBF High School, thus increasing the available pool of females who are prepared to enter positions in current and emerging technical career fields