Searching for Early Developmental Activities Leading to Computational Thinking Skills

Drawing on the long debate about whether computer science (CS) and computational thinking skills are innate or learnable, this working group is based on the following hypothesis: The apparent innate ability of some CS learners who succeed in CS courses despite no prior exposure to computing is a manifestation of early childhood experiences and learning outside formal education

Early Developmental Activities and Computing Proficiency

As countries adopt computing education for all pupils from primary school upwards, there are challenging indicators: significant proportions of students who choose to study computing at universities fail the introductory courses, and the evidence for links between formal education outcomes and success in CS is limited. Yet, as we know, some students succeed without prior computing experience. Why is this? <br/><br/> Some argue for an innate ability, some for motivation, some for the discrepancies between the expectations of instructors and students, and some – simply – for how programming is being taught. All agree that becoming proficient in computing is not easy. Our research takes a novel view on the problem and argues that some of that success is influenced by early childhood experiences outside formal education. <br/><br/> In this study, we analyzed over 1300 responses to a multi-institutional and multi-national survey that we developed. The survey captures enjoyment of early developmental activities such as childhood toys, games and pastimes between the ages 0 — 8 as well as later life experiences with computing. We identify unifying features of the computing experiences in later life, and attempt to link these computing experiences to the childhood activities. <br/><br/> The analysis indicates that computing proficiency should be seen from multiple viewpoints, including both skill-level and confidence. It shows that particular early childhood experiences are linked to parts of computing proficiency, namely those related to confidence with problem solving using computing technology. These are essential building blocks for more complex use. We recognize issues in the experimental design that may prevent our data showing a link between early activities and more complex computing skills, and suggest adjustments. Ultimately, it is hoped that this line of research will feed in to early years and primary education, and thereby improve computing education for all

Emotional design : an investigation into designers' perceptions of incorporating emotions in software

In my teaching and software development practice, I realized that most applications with human-computer interaction do not respond to usersâ emotional needs. The dualism of reason and emotion as two fairly opposite entities that dominated Western philosophy was also reflected in software design. Computing was originally intended to provide applications for military and industrial activities and was primarily associated with cognition and rationality. Today, more and more computer applications interact with users in very complex and sophisticated ways. In human-computer interaction, attention is given to issues of usability and user modeling, but techniques to emotionally engage users or respond to their emotional needs have not been fully developed, even as specialists like Klein, Norman and Picard argued that machines that recognize and express emotions respond better and more appropriately to user interaction (Picard, 1997; Picard & Klein, 2002; Norman, 2004). This study investigated emotion from designersâ perspectives and tentatively concludes that there is little awareness and involvement in emotional design in the IT community. By contrast, participants in this study (36 IT specialists from various fields) strongly supported the idea of emotional design and confirmed the need for methodologies and theoretical models to research emotional design. Based on a review of theory, surveys and interviews, I identified a set of themes for heuristics of emotional design and recommended future research directions. Attention was given to consequences; participants in this study raised issues of manipulation, ethical responsibilities of designers, and the need for regulations, and recommended that emotional design should carry standard ethical guidelines for games and any other applications. The research design utilized a mixed QUAN-qual methodological model proposed by Creswell (2003) and Gay, Mills, and Airasian (2006), which was modified to equally emphasize both quantitative and qualitative stages. An instrument in the form of a questionnaire was designed, tested and piloted in this study and will be improved and used in future research.Education, Faculty ofCurriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department ofGraduat

Designing educational games and advanced learning technologies : an identification of emotions for modeling pedagogical and adaptive emotional agents

Emotional, cognitive, and motivational processes are dynamic and influence each other during learning. The goal of this dissertation is to gain a better understanding of emotion interaction in order to design advanced learning technologies (ALTs) and intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) that adapt to emotional needs. In order for ITSs to recognize and respond to affective states, the system needs to have knowledge of learners’ behaviors and states. Based on emotion frameworks in affective computing and education, this study responds to this need by providing an in-depth analysis of students’ affective states during learning with an educational mathematics game for grades five through seven (Heroes of Math Island) specifically designed for this research study and based on principles of instructional and game design. The mixed methodology research design had two components: (1) a quasi-experimental study and (2) affect analysis. The quasi-experimental study included pretest, intervention (gameplay), and posttest, followed by a post-questionnaire and interview. Affect analysis involved the process of identifying what emotions should be observed, and video annotations by trained judges. The study contributes to related research by: (1) reviewing sets of emotions important for learning derived from literature and pilot studies; (2) analyzing inter-judge agreement both aggregated and over individual students to gain a better understanding of how individual differences in expression affect emotion recognition; (3) examining in detail what and how many emotions actually occur or are expressed in the standard 20-second interval; (4) designing a standard method including a protocol and an instrument for trained judges; and (5) offering an in-depth exploration of the students’ subjective reactions with respect to gameplay and the mathematics content. This study analyzes and proposes an original set of emotions derived from literature and observations during gameplay. The most relevant emotions identified were boredom, confidence, confusion/hesitancy, delight/pleasure, disappointment/displeasure, engaged concentration, and frustration. Further research on this set is recommended for design of ALTs or ITSs that motivate students and respond to their cognitive and emotional needs. The methodological protocol developed to label and analyze emotions should be evaluated and tested in future studies.Education, Faculty ofCurriculum and Pedagogy (EDCP), Department ofGraduat

Bootstrapping: The Emergent Technological Practices of Post-secondary Students with Mathematics Learning Disabilities

Drawn from an investigation of the emergent technological practices of post-secondary students with mathematics learning disabilities, this case study employs an enactivist framework in considering the bootstrapping processes our participants report engaging in when using personal electronic devices for academic support. Video-recorded, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine post-secondary participants with mathematics learning disabilities in two western Canadian urban centres. Findings suggest that participants used technology to control and improve sensory input in order to better access mathematics course content and monitor the accuracy of their work, engage with alternate presentations of mathematical concepts to enhance their level of understanding, reduce workload, and improve organization. We discuss how their strategies in using technology relate to Bereiter’s categorization of bootstrapping resources (1985), including imitation, chance by selection, learning support systems, and piggybacking. Grounded in a “learner’s perspective,” this case study identifies technological adaptations and strategies that may be helpful to others with mathematics learning disabilities

Enhancing diversity and inclusion in computer science undergraduate programs: the role of admissions

Despite continued efforts to further the participation of women in Computer Science (CS), progress has been limited during the past decades. Recent efforts have been focused on recruitment and retention, with a notable gap in exploring the impact of admissions processes on diversity and inclusion. Through an extensive literature review, contextual analysis of public admissions data from 40 universities across four regions around the world, and qualitative and quantitative analysis on surveys and interviews, we explored the role of admissions in enhancing diversity and inclusion in CS undergraduate programs. Our findings highlight the role of financials, the possible positive effects of explicit advocacy for diversity and inclusion, and the imperative to cultivate a more welcoming and inclusive culture in CS programs

Exploring Computing Science Programs' Admission Procedures with a Diversity and Inclusion Lens

Computing science education has experienced low attendance and historic declines in registration from different minority groups. The past decade of enrollment surge in computer science undergraduate programs has increased the number of women and minorities in the field, but the improvements are inconsistent and less than expected. An increase in the use of computing science and in the demand of technology workforce is expected in the upcoming years. Thus, computing science is set to shape the future of technology for a diverse set of technology users. Therefore, it is important to analyze how undergraduate program admission procedures are affecting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion of historically marginalized groups in computing science. Critical thinking, analytical skills, and problem-solving are considered some of the foundational skills for success in computing science. These qualities are often assessed throughout a student's academic career through grades. Additional factors such as leadership, motivation, intention, prior exposure, and community involvement are also sometimes considered while evaluating candidates in admission procedures. We will explore the factors assessed by different institutions when deciding to admit a student in computing science undergraduate programs and evaluate possible effects of such admissions procedures on diversity and inclusion. We aim to identify student success indicators and recommend equitable processes on the basis of our findings