Serious Toys: Teaching Computer Science Concepts to Pre-Collegiate Students

Advancements in science and engineering have driven innovation in the United States for more than two centuries. The last several decades have brought to the forefront the importance of such innovation to our domestic and global economies. To continue to succeed in this information-based, technologically advanced society, we must ensure that the next generation of students are developing computational thinking skills beyond what was acceptable in past years. Computational thinking represents a collection of structured problem solving skills that cross-cut educational disciplines. There is significant future value in introducing these skills as early as practical in students\u27 academic careers. Over the past four years, we have developed, piloted, and evaluated a series of outreach modules designed to introduce fundamental computing concepts to young learners. Each module is based on a small embedded device a \u27serious toy\u27 designed to simultaneously engage visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners through lectures, visual demonstrations, and hands-on activities. We have piloted these modules with more than 770 students, and the evaluation results show that the program is having a positive impact. The evaluation instruments for our pilots consist of pre- and post-attitudinal surveys and pre- and post-quizzes. The surveys are designed to assess student attitudes toward computer science and student self-efficacy with respect to the material covered. The quizzes are designed to assess students\u27 content understanding. In this dissertation, we describe the modules and associated serious toys. We also describe the module evaluation methods, the pilot groups, and the results for each pilot study

Tangible Tools in Mathematics for Engineering Students: Experimental Activity at Politecnico di Torino

In the article, we present the tasks of the Maths lab at Politecnico di Torino that we tested for the first time in the academic year 2018–19, which were proposed for undergraduate Engineering students in their first year with the aim to integrate active learning into our traditional courses. The student activity in response to the tasks took place in classes of at most 25 individuals. The work was organized in small groups, mainly following a problem-solving approach and a central role was given to artefacts and technological applications. Here, we discuss the main motivations of our lab project, two specific tasks and some data collected by means of a questionnaire, in order to examine the interplay between tangible and virtual tools

The Effects of Hands-on Equations on Math Achievement of Ninth Grade Students

Each year, ninth-grade students across the United States of America fail to meet the national standards in mathematics. Students struggle to grasp the concepts needed to produce correct answers to math problems. Ninth grade students with disabilities, especially in the southeastern region of the United States, consistently fail the math portion of the Georgia Milestones Test. As a response to this problem in Georgia, Hands-On Equations by Henry Borenson represents a possible solution for many students failing to meet the standard in ninth grade mathematics. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine the difference between the mathematics achievement of ninth-grade students with and without disabilities in a high school in Southeastern Georgia who received instruction with Hands-On Equations versus those who received instruction without the use of Hands-On Equations. The data used were historical data from the 2016 school year. One group of students participated in instruction using Hands-On Equations while another group received traditional teaching methods without the use of the Hands-On Equations. The participating schools were urban schools located in the Southeastern part of Georgia. Most of the students were African American, and the schools were 100% free lunch. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) generated comparative data. The results related to Hypothesis H01 and H03 indicated that there was a significant difference in the mathematics achievement scores for ninth-grade students with or without disabilities who received instruction with Hands-on Equations. However, results related to hypothesis H02 indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in mathematics achievement scores for ninth-grade students who did or did not receive instruction using Hands-on Equations

Tangible Teaching: The Effect of Physical Modeling on Community College Students’ Understanding of Conservation of Matter

Students’ weak understanding of conservation of matter is well documented; however, there is a paucity of research that provides science educators with actual examples of empirically proven curricula employing physical modeling that can be used in the chemistry classroom to teach this fundamental concept. An intervention (three sequential physical modeling activities) was developed and evaluated. The intervention was administered to two sections of a General Chemistry I course at a community college in the southeastern United States, and pre-test/post-test data using a published instrument were collected to evaluate the physical model’s effectiveness in developing students’ understanding of conservation of matter compared to traditional teaching approaches. Because cognitive ability is theorized to play a significant role in understanding abstract concepts such as conservation of matter, student logical thinking ability was also measured using the abbreviated Group Assessment of Logical Thinking (GALT). The results of a two-way mixed analysis of variance (2x2 ANOVA) revealed that statistically significant growth in understanding of conservation of matter and conceptual understanding occurred from pre-test to post-test for the treatment group only. In general, overall student understanding of conservation of matter was low with an average pre-test score of 39% and average post-test score of 47%. Initially, 87% of the students operated below the formal operational level, which decreased to 68% by the end of the study. The findings suggest that the physical model not only significantly enhanced students’ understanding of conservation of matter, but also develop their conceptual understanding

AN INVESTIGATION ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHERS' BELIEFS ABOUT TEACHING GEOMETRY

There continues to exist a dilemma about how, why and when geometry should be taught. The aim of this study was to examine high school mathematics teachers' beliefs about geometry and its teaching with respect to its role in the curriculum, the uses of manipulatives and dynamic geometry software in the classroom, and the role of proofs. In this study belief is taken as subjective knowledge (Furinghetti and Pehkonen, 2002). Data were collected from 520 teachers using questionnaires that included both statements that required responses on a Likert scale and open-ended questions. Also an intervention case study was conducted with one teacher. A three factor solution emerged from the analysis that revealed a disposition towards activities, a disposition towards an appreciation of geometry and its applications and a disposition towards abstraction. These results enabled classification of teachers into one of eight groups depending on whether their scores were positive or negative on the three factors. Knowing the teacher typology allows for appropriate professional development activities to be undertaken. This was done in the case study where techniques for scaffolding proofs were used as an intervention for a teacher who had a positive disposition towards activities and appreciation of geometry and its applications but a negative disposition towards abstraction. The intervention enabled the teacher successfully to teach her students how to understand and construct proofs. The open-ended responses on the questionnaire were analysed to obtain a better understanding of the teachers' beliefs. Four themes, the formal, intuitive, utilitarian and the mathematical, emerged from the analysis, which support the modal arguments given by Gonzalez and Herbst (2006). The findings reveal a disconnect between some high school teachers' beliefs about why geometry is important to study and the current position of the Standards Movement; and between whether geometry should be taught as part of an integrated curriculum or as a one-year course

Investigation and development of a tangible technology framework for highly complex and abstract concepts

The ubiquitous integration of computer-supported learning tools within the educational domain has led educators to continuously seek effective technological platforms for teaching and learning. Overcoming the inherent limitations of traditional educational approaches, interactive and tangible computing platforms have consequently garnered increased interest in the pursuit of embedding active learning pedagogies within curricula. However, whilst Tangible User Interface (TUI) systems have been successfully developed to edutain children in various research contexts, TUI architectures have seen limited deployment towards more advanced educational pursuits. Thus, in contrast to current domain research, this study investigates the effectiveness and suitability of adopting TUI systems for enhancing the learning experience of abstract and complex computational science and technology-based concepts within higher educational institutions (HEI)s. Based on the proposal of a contextually apt TUI architecture, the research describes the design and development of eight distinct TUI frameworks embodying innovate interactive paradigms through tabletop peripherals, graphical design factors, and active tangible manipulatives. These computationally coupled design elements are evaluated through summative and formative experimental methodologies for their ability to aid in the effective teaching and learning of diverse threshold concepts experienced in computational science. In addition, through the design and adoption of a technology acceptance model for educational technology (TAM4Edu), the suitability of TUI frameworks in HEI education is empirically evaluated across a myriad of determinants for modelling students’ behavioural intention. In light of the statistically significant results obtained in both academic knowledge gain (μ = 25.8%) and student satisfaction (μ = 12.7%), the study outlines the affordances provided through TUI design for various constituents of active learning theories and modalities. Thus, based on an empirical and pedagogical analyses, a set of design guidelines is defined within this research to direct the effective development of TUI design elements for teaching and learning abstract threshold concepts in HEI adaptations

Exploring Fifth Grade Teachers\u27 Perceptions of Math Instructional Practices

Even though a school in Southern Virginia had been utilizing a variety of manipulatives, calculators, and computers to transition students through the concrete-representational-abstract (CRA) sequence; students did not meet the state proficiency requirement on the standardized math assessment. A qualitative descriptive case study design, grounded in Bruner\u27s learning theory on the modes of representation, was utilized to explore fifth-grade teachers\u27 perceptions of their math instructional practices. The central question was about 5th-grade teachers\u27 perceptions of utilizing a wide variety of manipulatives, calculators, and computers to transition students from concrete understandings to pictorial representations before they embark upon abstract concepts. Data were collected through observations, interviews, and archival data. The data were analyzed through thematic analysis and coded through the constant comparison approach. The data collection revealed that the 4 participants were utilizing a wide variety of manipulatives, calculators, and computers to transition students through the CRA sequence; however, the teachers were unable to teach students to a level of mastery due to various barriers. The study\u27s findings suggest that the research site would benefit from a three-day professional development plan, created to address the lack of teaching to mastery. This study will contribute to positive social change because it addressed the math achievement gap that is widening in America. This study\u27s findings could benefit local, district, and state stakeholders as the project addresses teaching students to the appropriate cognitive levels to prepare for lifelong learning in mathematics, as well as for standardized assessments

The Effects of Manipulation of Virtual Objects in a Game-like Environment as a Supplement to a Teaching Lesson in the Context of Physics Concepts

Many scientific domains deal with abstract and multidimensional phenomena, and students often struggle to comprehend theoretical and complex abstractions and apply scientific concepts to real life contexts (Anderson & Barnett, 2013). One of these scientific domains that impose theoretical and complex abstractions is physics. The way that physics has traditionally been taught in school is through learning mathematical formulas and equations (Price, 2008). Many researchers proposed several ways to teach physics effectively. There are several virtual reality applications and computer games that were designed and utilized in the area of science education. In the case of physics education, many studies yielded positive results when using computer games to teach abstract concepts to students (Maxmen, 2010; Price, 2008; Squire et al., 2004). Furthermore, both physical and virtual manipulative tools were shown to be effective and essential in physics learning. This study examined the effects of manipulation of virtual objects in a game-like environment when supplemented with a descriptive or a narrative lesson in the context of physics concepts related to force, distance, and conservation of energy. In particular, the study examined learners’ performance on a test of physics knowledge related to the study when encountered with two factors that influence learning: lesson type and type of manipulation. The study drew on the research done on using virtual manipulatives in education and theoretical support from constructivist theories of learning implying that learners form their own knowledge through meaningful interactions with the world, and that prior knowledge greatly influences the construction of new knowledge in individual learners (Barbour et al., 2009; Bruner, 1966). From the study’s results, it seems that providing a textual pre-lesson is important for low-prior knowledge learners when it comes to learning physics concepts. Moreover, having engaged in a manipulation task also contributed to participants’ learning gain (in both low-prior knowledge and high-prior knowledge groups) as measured by the post-assessments used in this study. Moreover, the results from this study help inform educational game designers who incorporate manipulatives about the role of providing pre-lessons that tie to concepts targeted by the manipulation activity, and how different kinds of manipulation in a game-like environment affect learning outcomes. The findings suggest that the role of these two factors combined requires further research

The Importance and Implementation of Kinesthetic Learning in the English Classroom

This paper examines different educators’ and researchers’ activities for kinesthetic learners and discusses how they can be applied to the English classroom in literature, writing, and language. The first section delves into the difficulty associated with but ultimate importance of including kinesthetic learning activities for both kinesthetic and non-kinesthetic learners due to the benefits of active learning. Subsequently, it looks for synthesis between different types of kinesthetic activities, dividing them into the categories of manipulatives, commonly accepted classroom activities with kinesthetic add-ons, and kinesthetic-centered activities. The ways each activity can be used, including its benefits and disadvantages, are discussed, and various principles of including kinesthetic differentiation are extrapolated for future consideration