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Léonard, Marielle. "Approche didactique et instrumentale de la pensée informatique : focus sur le concept de motif." Electronic Thesis or Diss., Université de Lille (2022-....), 2024. http://www.theses.fr/2024ULILH034.
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En France, depuis 2016, l'initiation à la programmation informatique est présente dans les curricula scolaires de l'école obligatoire. L'objectif de cette thèse est de comprendre le processus de conceptualisation lors de la résolution de puzzles de programmation par des sujets âgés de 7 à 15 ans. À cette fin, nous combinons les apports respectifs de la théorie des champs conceptuels (Vergnaud, 1991) et de l'analyse de traces d'interaction dans un EIAH. Nous nous concentrons sur le concept de motif, en particulier lors des premières confrontations avec la notion de boucle en programmation par blocs. Nous définissons un motif comme « une entité repérable au sein d'un ensemble car répétée à l'identique ou avec des variations prédictibles » et mettons en évidence la place essentielle de ce concept lors de l'initiation à la pensée algorithmique. L'approche didactique adoptée vise à positionner le concept de motif au sein d'un champ conceptuel des notions de base de l'algorithmique, champ conceptuel qui a pour périmètre la programmation impérative en langage Scratch au niveau de l'école obligatoire. Au sein de ce champ conceptuel, nous approfondissons l'étude des situations de programmation d'un robot virtuel sur une grille qui requièrent l'utilisation d'une boucle. Notre protocole expérimental est adossé au concours en ligne de programmation Algoréa. Nous avons construit un outillage méthodologique incluant un dispositif de collecte de données à trois échelles, des analyses statistiques sur de larges échantillons, une automatisation du traitement de traces d'interaction avec l'EIAH, et des analyses qualitatives d'enregistrements vidéo d'écran. Cet outillage méthodologique, qui permet de combiner précision des analyses qualitatives et robustesse statistique, constitue l'un des apports de la thèse. Avec cette approche, nous avons d'abord réalisé une étude instrumentale de l'EIAH telle que la définit Rabardel (1995). Son but est de distinguer ce qui, dans l'activité, relève de la maîtrise conceptuelle et ce qui relève de la maîtrise instrumentale d'un environnement de programmation particulier. Nous nous sommes ensuite concentrés sur la conceptualisation-en-acte au sens de Vergnaud (1991). Nous avons identifié les schèmes mis en œuvre par le sujet lors de l'activité de programmation étudiée, notamment les invariants opératoires sous-jacents. Nos analyses nous permettent ainsi d'identifier et de documenter des paliers de difficulté et des erreurs récurrentes lors des premiers apprentissages de la boucle. Une de nos perspectives de recherche est de reproduire cette démarche pour mener des investigations sur l'ensemble des concepts abordés lors de l'initiation à la programmation informatique au niveau de l'école obligatoire. Ces résultats constituent une contribution de nature à outiller les enseignants de l'école élémentaire et du collège pour accompagner leurs élèves et les aider à surmonter les difficultés rencontrées lors de l'apprentissage des concepts fondamentaux de l'algorithmiqueIn France, since 2016, introduction to computer programming has been included in compulsory school curricula. The objective of this thesis is to understand the conceptualization process when solving programming puzzles by subjects aged 7 to 15 years old. To this end, we combine the respective contributions of conceptual field theory (Vergnaud, 1991) and the analysis of pupils activity in a TEL environment. We focus on the concept of pattern, in particular during the first confrontations with the loop notion in block programming. We define a pattern as “an entity identifiable within a set because it is repeated identically or with predictable variations” and highlight the essential place of this concept when initiating algorithmic thinking. The didactic approach adopted aims to position the concept of pattern within a conceptual field of basic notions of algorithms, a conceptual field which has as its scope imperative programming in Scratch language at compulsory school level. Within this conceptual field, we deepen the study of programming situations of a virtual robot on a grid which require the use of a loop. Our experimental protocol is backed by the Algoréa online programming competition. We are building methodological tools including a data collection device at three scales, statistical analyzes on large samples, automation of the processing of interaction traces with the EIAH, and qualitative analyzes of screen video recordings. This methodological tool, which makes it possible to combine the precision of qualitative analyzes and statistical robustness, constitutes one of the contributions of this thesis. With this approach, we first carry out an instrumental study of the TEL environmentas defined by Rabardel (1995). Its goal is to distinguish what, in the activity, relates to conceptual mastery and what relates to instrumental mastery of a particular programming environment. We then focus on conceptualization-in-act in the sense of Vergnaud(1991). We identify the schemes implemented by the subject during the programming activity studied, in particular the underlying operational invariants. Our analyzes allow us to identify and document levels of difficulty and recurring errors during the first learning of the loop. One of our research perspectives is to reproduce this approach to carry out investigations on all the concepts covered during the introduction to computer programming at compulsory school level. These results constitute a contribution likely to help elementary and middle school teachers to support their pupils and help them overcome the difficulties encountered when learning fundamental concepts of algorithms
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Chowdhury, Bushra Tawfiq. "Collaboratively Learning Computational Thinking." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/88016.
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Skill sets such as understanding and applying computational concepts are essential prerequisites for success in the 21st century. One can learn computational concepts by taking a traditional course offered in a school or by self-guided learning through an online platform. Collaborative learning has emerged as an approach that researchers have found to be generally applicable and effective for teaching computational concepts. Rather than learning individually, collaboration can help reduce the anxiety level of learners, improve understanding and create a positive atmosphere to learning Computational Thinking (CT). There is, however, limited research focusing on how natural collaborative interactions among learners manifest during learning of computational concepts.
Structured as a manuscript style dissertation, this doctoral study investigates three different but related aspects of novice learners collaboratively learning CT. The first manuscript (qualitative study) provides an overall understanding of the contextual factors and characterizes collaborative aspects of learning in a CT face-to-face classroom at a large Southeastern University. The second manuscript (qualitative study) investigates the social interaction occurring between group members of the same classroom. And the third manuscript (quantitative study) focuses on the relationship between different social interactions initiated by users and learning of CT in an online learning platform Scratch™. In the two diverse settings, Chi's (2009) Differentiated Overt Learning Activities (DOLA) has been used as a lens to better understand the significance of social interactions in terms of being active, constructive and interactive. Together, the findings of this dissertation study contribute to the limited body of CT research by providing insight on novice learner's attitude towards learning CT, collaborative moments of learning CT, and the differences in relationship between social interactions and learning CT. The identification of collaborative attributes of CT is expected to help educators in designing learning activities that facilitate such interactions within group of learners and look out for traits of such activities to assess CT in both classroom and online settings.PHD
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Grgurina, Nataša. "Computational thinking in Dutch secondary education." Universität Potsdam, 2013. http://opus.kobv.de/ubp/volltexte/2013/6455/.
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We shall examine the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) of Computer Science (CS) teachers concerning students’ Computational Thinking (CT) problem solving skills within the context of a CS course in Dutch secondary education and thus obtain an operational definition of CT and ascertain appropriate teaching methodology. Next we shall develop an instrument to assess students’ CT and design a curriculum intervention geared toward teaching and improving students’ CT problem solving skills and competences. As a result, this research will yield an operational definition of CT, knowledge about CT PCK, a CT assessment instrument and teaching materials and accompanying teacher instructions. It shall contribute to CS teacher education, development of CT education and to education in other (STEM) subjects where CT plays a supporting role, both nationally and internationally.
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Lundholm, David. "Computational Thinking in Swedish Elementary Schools." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informationsteknologi, 2015. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-254210.
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Kolodziej, MIchael. "Computational Thinking in Curriculum for Higher Education." Thesis, Pepperdine University, 2017. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10285666.
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Computational Thinking continues to gain popularity and traction within conversations about curriculum development for the 21st century, but little exists in the literature to guide the inclusion of Computational Thinking into curriculum outside of K12. This Delphi study seeks to fill part of the gap in the literature and instantiate conversation in the Higher Education community about the importance of CT as a topic, and how it may be approached formally in curriculum development.
Over 3 rounds of Delphi panel deliberation, several interesting and informative themes emerged related to issues of domain expertise, interdisciplinary collaboration, and ensurance of quality and integrity of computational knowledge, attitudes and practices through curricular initiatives. Additionally, potential solutions and vehicles for delivering strong outcomes are identified and discussed, through the lens of Landscapes of Practice (Wenger, 2014).
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Prottsman, Christie Lee Lili. "Computational Thinking and Women in Computer Science." Thesis, University of Oregon, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/1794/11485.
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x, 40 p. : col. ill.Though the first computer programmers were female, women currently make up only a quarter of the computing industry. This lack of diversity jeopardizes technical innovation, creativity and profitability. As demand for talented computing professionals grows, both academia and industry are seeking ways to reach out to groups of individuals who are underrepresented in computer science, the largest of which is women. Women are most likely to succeed in computer science when they are introduced to computing concepts as children and are exposed over a long period of time. In this paper I show that computational thinking (the art of abstraction and automation) can be introduced earlier than has been demonstrated before. Building on ideas being developed for the state of California, I have created an entertaining and engaging educational software prototype that makes primary concepts accessible down to the third grade level.
Committee in charge: Michal Young, Chairperson; Joanna Goode, Member
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Browning, Samuel Frank. "Using Dr. Scratch as a Formative Feedback Tool to Assess Computational Thinking." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2017. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/6659.
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Scratch is one of the most popular ways to teach younger children to code in K–8 throughout the U.S. and Europe. Despite its popularity, Scratch lacks a formative feedback tool to inform students and teachers of a student's progress in coding ability. Dr. Scratch was built to fill this need. This study seeks to answer if using Dr. Scratch as a formative feedback tool accelerates the students' progress in coding ability and Computational Thinking (CT). Forty-one 4th-6th grade students participated in a 1-hour/week Scratch workshop for nine weeks. We measured pre- and posttest results of the Computational Thinking Test (CTt) between control (n = 18) and treatment groups (n = 23) using three methods: propensity score matching (treatment = .575; control = .607; p = .696), information maximum likelihood technique (treatment effect = -.09; p = .006), and multiple linear regression. Both groups demonstrated significant increased posttest scores over their pretest (treatment = +8.31%; control = +5.43%), though which group improved the most varied depending on which test was run. We discuss the implications of using Dr. Scratch as a formative feedback tool and recommend further research on the use of such tools in elementary coding experiences.
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Weese, Joshua Levi. "Bringing computational thinking to K-12 and higher education." Diss., Kansas State University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/35430.
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Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment of Computer Science
William H. Hsu
Since the introduction of new curriculum standards at K-12 schools, computational thinking has become a major research area. Creating and delivering content to enhance these skills, as well as evaluation, remain open problems. This work describes different interventions based on the Scratch programming language aimed toward improving student self-efficacy in computer science and computational thinking. These interventions were applied at a STEM outreach program for 5th-9th grade students. Previous experience in STEM-related activities and subjects, as well as student self-efficacy, were surveyed using a developed pre- and post-survey. The impact of these interventions on student performance and confidence, as well as the validity of the instrument are discussed. To complement attitude surveys, a translation of Scratch to Blockly is proposed. This will record student programming behaviors for quantitative analysis of computational thinking in support of student self-efficacy. Outreach work with Kansas Starbase, as well as the Girl Scouts of the USA, is also described and evaluated. A key goal for computational thinking in the past 10 years has been to bring computer science to other disciplines. To test the gap from computer science to STEM, computational thinking exercises were embedded in an electromagnetic fields course. Integrating computation into theory courses in physics has been a curricular need, yet there are many difficulties and obstacles to overcome in integrating with existing curricula and programs. Recommendations from this experimental study are given towards integrating CT into physics a reality. As part of a continuing collaboration with physics, a comprehensive system for automated extraction of assessment data for descriptive analytics and visualization is also described.
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Donaldson, Scott P. "Generating, Simulating, Interrogating: A Computational Design Thinking Framework." Research Showcase @ CMU, 2017. http://repository.cmu.edu/theses/133.
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Computational design is often depicted as an instrument for analysis or production, but it is also a space in which to explore and create new ways of working and thinking. This thesis explores how, through critically engaged practice, designers working computationally are uniquely able to envision and work toward desirable futures, challenging a techno-utopian status quo and projecting humane alternatives. What computational design methods, approaches, and strategies can help to bring about these desirable futures? Through primary research involving interviews with computational design practitioners, developing interactive software prototypes as investigative tools, and conducting design workshops, I investigate various modes of working computationally. Building on this research, I propose a three-part framework that synthesizes high-level approaches to computational design work. The first component, generating, reveals how computation enables the designer to work at various levels of abstraction, navigating large possibility spaces. The second, simulating, provides a frame for envisioning and modeling potential interventions in complex systems. Finally, interrogating, drawing from both Schön’s ‘reflective practice’ and Wark’s ‘hacker ethos,’ encourages computational designers to critically question their tools and practices in order to discover new ways of working and thinking. I conclude by discussing potential embodiments of this framework in computational design education.
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Saari, Erni Marlina. "Toolbox for adopting computational thinking through learning Flash." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 2018. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/53768/.
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The need for teachers of Elementary School children to learn to program or rather to understand the Computational Thinking behind programming has been accelerated in many countries by the mandated teaching of programming in the Elementary School context. Many steps have been taken in order to create awareness of this issue, such as the Computing At Schools initiative (CAS) which is established in the UK. CAS aims to support teaching in computing and connected fields in UK schools. Moreover, in the USA the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) was established to meet the purpose of informing and advising about the current development of computational thinking and to investigate and disseminate teaching and learning resources related to computational thinking. In Singapore research has been conducted by the government agency Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) whereby the major goal is to meet the needs in the ICT sector and ultimately to focus and inspire learners about programming. The research for this thesis involves the development of a training scheme for pre-service teachers that will introduce them to computational thinking through the use of the Flash Action Script Development environment. Flash Action Scripts - amongst several other tools - are used as a tool for creating interactive content and because Flash is one of the premiere tools used to create content for the internet; a tool programmed with Flash looks practically the same in every browser and on every operating system. Flash Action scripts use traditional coding skills but permit the user to see how each piece of code affects the running or execution of the program, allowing the user to have an instant visual understanding of what the code is doing. It is also widely available within university campuses. A major problem in promoting the teaching of programming and computational thinking to Elementary School teachers is that the majority of such teachers have no concept of how to program and naturally are not motivated to learn programming. Experienced teachers involved in the current study felt that programming was too complicated and thus it was hard to gain fluency in programming. Student teachers who had no previous experience in programming were, however, easier to get engaged in learning programming principles. Eighty percent of this group found Action Scripting a useful tool to understand basic programming and scripting. The need to teach programming will motivate most but to learn through a tool that can be seen to have intrinsic value in their role as teachers has a greater potential of success. This thesis defines the design and implementation of a tool to use the learning of Flash Action Scripting as a motivational mechanism for pre-service teachers. The intrinsic value to them is intended to be utilisation of the learned Action Scripting skills to produce their own teaching material. Initial results indicate an enhanced engagement and motivation to learn to program and improved confidence in doing so. As projected the pre-service teachers had a more positive attitude towards the potential of the learning tool but both they and the in-service teachers had improved attitudes and enthusiasm after the experiment. The results show that both pre-service and in-service teachers can be trained to be designers and producers of digital courseware in the previous absence of computational thinking skills and definitely they can acquire skills in computer programming such as Flash Action Scripts.
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Åsbrink, Niklas. "En studie i att tillämpa Computational Thinking på grafteori." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för datavetenskap, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-92797.
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Computational thinking was brought to the forefront in 2006 by Jeannette Wing. Computational thinking is a problem solving method that uses computer science techniques. The thesis is analyzing computational thinking and how it could be applied to graph theory. Characteristics and main fields from computational thinking is being analysed. This analysis is applied to graph theory to see the potential in developing a proposal for how an exercise can look for an introductory course in discrete data types. Only basic knowledge of graphs is required to perform the exercise. It's required to know what a directed, undirected and weighted graph is. The exercise is based upon exercises and theory from a report called Computational Thinking - Teacher Resources written by Computer Science Teachers Association and International Society for Technology in Education. The exercise should be solved in a group of 4 people and is a complex problem that is reminiscent of the Travelling Salesman Problem. In the end of the thesis a discussion is held about the definition of computational thinking, the creation of the exercise and a discussion of the future in the field. The cognitive aspect will not be deepened or questioned in this study.
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Woods, Charles. "Discourse Indicative of Computational Thinking within a Virtual Community." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2020. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1703290/.
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This study explores the phenomenon of computational thinking indicated by the use of Bloom's taxonomy's cognitive domain verbs in the Scratch community, the online, collaborative environment for the Scratch Visual Programming Language (VPL). A corpus of 660,984 words from three Scratch community sub-forums provide the data for this study. By semantically aligning cognitive domain verbs of Bloom's revised taxonomy to computational thinking (CT) dimensions, the occurrences of the verbs in Scratch community sub-forums are used to indicate instances of computational thinking. The methodology utilizes qualitative coding and analysis with R® and RStudio®. The findings show language attributes such as expressions of imagination, sharing of creative details, collaborative development ideas, teaching, modeling, innovating, solutions focused, and technical support to be indicative of computational thinking and CT dimensions. The computational thinking dimension referred to as computational perspectives occurs most frequently within Scratch community participant discourse. The environmental factors found to contribute to computational thinking and the CT dimensions are supporting tools, personalized learning, supportive organizational culture, social learning, and organizational support. Common among the three computational dimensions is the contributing environmental factor described as supportive organizational culture, with the computational perspectives dimension prevailing among the corpora. The characteristics of computational perspectives and supportive organizational culture suggest a desire for human connection in the attainment of technological skills and knowledge.
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Gouws, Lindsey Ann. "The role of computational thinking in introductory computer science." Thesis, Rhodes University, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011152.
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Computational thinking (CT) is gaining recognition as an important skill for students, both in computer science and other disciplines. Although there has been much focus on this field in recent years, it is rarely taught as a formal course, and there is little consensus on what exactly CT entails and how to teach and evaluate it. This research addresses the lack of resources for integrating CT into the introductory computer science curriculum. The question that we aim to answer is whether CT can be evaluated in a meaningful way. A CT framework that outlines the skills and techniques comprising CT and describes the nature of student engagement was developed; this is used as the basis for this research. An assessment (CT test) was then created to gauge the ability of incoming students, and a CT-specfic computer game was developed based on the analysis of an existing game. A set of problem solving strategies and practice activities were then recommended based on criteria defined in the framework. The results revealed that the CT abilities of first year university students are relatively poor, but that the students' scores for the CT test could be used as a predictor for their future success in computer science courses. The framework developed for this research proved successful when applied to the test, computer game evaluation, and classification of strategies and activities. Through this research, we established that CT is a skill that first year computer science students are lacking, and that using CT exercises alongside traditional programming instruction can improve students' learning experiences.
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Moran, Renee Rice, Laura Robertson, Chih-Che Tai, Karin Keith, Jamie Price, Lori T. Meier, and Huili Hong. "Preparing Pre-Service Teachers for the Future: Computational Thinking as a Scaffold for Critical Thinking." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2019. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/5881.
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Book Summary: As technology continues to develop and prove its importance in modern society, certain professions are acclimating. Aspects such as computer science and computational thinking are becoming essential areas of study. Implementing these subject areas into teaching practices is necessary for younger generations to adapt to the developing world. There is a critical need to examine the pedagogical implications of these technological skills and implement them into the global curriculum. The Handbook of Research on Integrating Computer Science and Computational Thinking in K-12 Education is a collection of innovative research on the methods and applications of computer science curriculum development within primary and secondary education. While highlighting topics including pedagogical implications, comprehensive techniques, and teacher preparation models, this book is ideally designed for teachers, IT consultants, curriculum developers, instructional designers, educational software developers, higher education faculty, administrators, policymakers, researchers, and graduate students.
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Xie, Benjamin Xiang-Yu. "Progression of computational thinking skills demonstrated by App Inventor users." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/106395.
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Thesis: M. Eng., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2016.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 81-83).
analyze skill progression in MIT App Inventor, an open, online learning environment with over 4.7 million users and 14.9 million projects/apps created. My objective is to understand how people learn computational thinking concepts while creating mobile applications with App Inventor. In particular, I am interested in the relationship between the development of sophistication in using App Inventor functionality and the development of sophistication in using computational thinking concepts as learners create more apps. I take steps towards this objective by modeling the demonstrated sophistication of a user along two dimensions: breadth and depth of capability. Given a sample of 10,571 random users who have each created at least 20 projects, I analyze the relationship between demonstrating domain-specific skills by using App Inventor functionality and generalizable skills by using computational thinking concepts. I cluster similar users and compare differences in using computational concepts. My findings indicate a common pattern of expanding breadth of capability by using new skills over the first 10 projects, then developing depth of capability by using previously introduced skills to build more sophisticated apps. From analyzing the clustered users, I order computational concepts by perceived complexity. This concept complexity measure is relative to how users interact with components. I also identify differences in learning computational concepts using App Inventor when compared to learning with a text-based programming language such as Java. In particular, statements (produce action) and expressions (produce value) are separate blocks because they have different connections with other blocks in App Inventor's visual programming language. This may result in different perceptions of computational concepts when compared to perceptions from using a text-based programming language, as statements are used more frequently in App Inventor than expressions. This work has implications to enable future computer science curriculum to better leverage App Inventor's blocks-based programming language and events-based model to offer more personalized guidance and learning resources to those who learn App Inventor without an instructor.
by Benjamin Xiang-Yu Xie.
M. Eng.
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Smith, Kimberly S. M. (Kimberly Ann) Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "New materials for teaching computational thinking in early childhood education." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/112546.
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Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2017.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. Page 104 blank.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 100-103).
The need for computer science education is greater than ever. There are currently over 500,000 unfilled computer science jobs in the United States and many schools do not teach computer science in their classrooms. Computers are powerful tools, and computational thinking-skills of problem-solving, logic, and abstraction that form the foundation of computer science-can be applied across other disciplines. Many current approaches to computer science education use computer screens. Though computer science education is important and effective from a young age, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends we limit screen time in children; and research shows that excessive screen time is detrimental for a child's development. A 2006 research study by Angeline Lillard published in Science showed that Montessori students scored higher on academic, cognitive, social, and behavioral tests than students in a traditional elementary school setting. The Montessori Method is characterized by mixed-age classrooms, child-driven learning, and a series of sensorial, physical materials. Developed nearly 100 years ago by Dr. Maria Montessori, the Montessori curriculum does not explicitly include computer science in its curriculum. This research examines the Montessori Method as a way to teach computer science for early childhood education. Interpreting and extending Dr. Montessori's original pedagogy, I have developed a curriculum with new learning materials for young children that breaks down the fundamentals of computational thinking into a set of discrete concepts that are expressed in tactile, hands-on ways. This research evaluates this approach through direct observation and teacher feedback; and suggests the potential for this Method as an effective approach to teach computational concepts to young children.
by Kimberly Smith.
S.M.
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Lindsay, Lucie Jean Cornford. "Networked Professional Learning for Teachers of Computational Thinking: Design Considerations." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2022. https://hdl.handle.net/2123/29790.
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This study constructs knowledge about design practice, reusable design methods, and design processes. It investigates the design practice experience of New Zealand teacher-educators in creating opportunities for networked professional learning for teachers about the new Computational Thinking outcome in the Digital Technologies curriculum. This study constructs practically oriented recommendations, design principles, and reusable design methods to support future designers. The design pattern recommendations address the design of the virtual and physical settings, social arrangements, and tasks, at macro, meso, and micro levels. They offer tools and methods designers may use to adapt and expand for their requirements and settings. This study provides ideas and language about the thinking and approaches taking place during the processes of design. It helps discern the transformative processes that take place when constructing reusable design ideas grounded in practice. It explores the role of epistemic tools and design theory in supporting design processes. Overarching design research methodology, design-based implementation research (DBIR), and qualitative methods supported the data collection and analysis of participants’ experiences. The study connects the complex, evolving disciplines of technological and educational design, digital technologies, and networked learning. Digital Technologies and Computational Thinking increasingly impact many areas of daily life, and ongoing professional learning is a necessity in this rapidly changing field. Design for networked professional learning is multi-factored, complex, and applicable to many fields. Design research and design practice are under-researched in educational settings. This study contributes design practice knowledge and reusable design patterns. It adds to the discussion of design rationale, the thinking approaches, and design theory in an educational context.
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Piccoli, Prisca Primavera <1991>. "Didactics of Computational Thinking Addressed to Non-Computer Science Learners." Master's Degree Thesis, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10579/10595.
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In the course of this work, we will firstly introduce the concept of computational thinking and provide an overview of the available literature on the topic. Subsequently, we will illustrate some of the most significant initiatives that are being enacted in the United States and in Europe in favor of a didactics of computing science addressed to school-aged children, and will analyze the most popular educational tools used to introduce the students of primary and secondary schools to the basics of computing. As a conclusion, we will provide an overview of the current debate over the role of computational thinking inside primary and secondary education, by analyzing some of the most recent didactic proposals, and suggesting some possible directions for future inquiries.
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Turakhia, Dishita Girish. "Thirteen ways of looking : a theoretical inquiry in computational creative thinking." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/113918.
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Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture, 2017.Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2017.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 97-99).
The vision of this research is to propose a novel computational framework to study Creative Thinking. If we are to embed machines with creative thinking abilities, then we first need to study the evanescent nature of human creative thinking. Creative thinking is neither entirely random nor strictly logical, making it difficult to t its computation into structured logical models of thinking. Given this conundrum, how can we computationally study the process of thinking creatively? In this research, I first present the current scientific definitions of creative thinking. Through literary survey of cognitive, computational and design thinking frameworks, I identify the missing links between human creativity and AI models of creative thinking. I assert that creative thinking is result of two features of human intelligence, cognitive diversity and social interaction. Cognitive diversity or the ability to parse knowledge in dierent ways is a crucial aspect of creative thinking. Furthermore, social interaction between cognitively diverse individuals results in restructuring of thoughts leading to creativity and epiphanies (the aha moments). I posit that Shape Grammar, with its ability to fluidly restructure computation, can be used to study and demonstrate cognitive diversity and interaction. If we conceive thoughts as shapes and ideas as configurations of those shapes, then cognitive diversity can be described as rule-based computation on shapes to generate those configurations; and interaction as the exchange of rules between cognitive diverse entities (humans or machines). The contributions of this research are threefold. First, I present a literature review of current frameworks, and identify the two gaps between machine and human creativity. Secondly, I demonstrate how shape grammar can ll those gaps of cognitive diversity and interaction. Thirdly, I propose thought-shape framework that adapts principles of shape grammar for computational creative thinking.
by Dishita Girish Turakhia.
S.M.
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Fusté, Lleixà Anna. "Hypercubes : learning computational thinking through embodied spatial programming in augmented reality." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/120690.
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Thesis: S.M., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, Program in Media Arts and Sciences, 2018.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 116-120).
Computational thinking has been described as a basic skill that should be included in the educational curriculum. Several online screen-based platforms for learning computational thinking have been developed during the past decades. In this thesis we propose the concept of Embodied Spatial Programming as a new and potentially improved programming paradigm for learning computational thinking in space. We have developed HyperCubes, an example Augmented Reality authoring platform that makes use of this paradigm. With a set of qualitative user studies we have assessed the engagement levels and the potential learning outcomes of the application. Through space, the physical environment, creativity and play the user is able to tinker with basic programming concepts that can lead to a better adoption of computational thinking skills.
by Anna Fusté Lleixà.
S.M.
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Tripet, Kristen Julia. "A Journey to Understanding: Developing Computational Fluency in Multi-digit Multiplication." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/20763.
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This thesis presents a domain-specific instructional theory for multi-digit multiplication, focused on building students’ conceptual understanding and computational fluency. Multiplicative thinking is crucial to students’ mathematical development. Without a sound understanding of multiplicative structure students’ capacity to develop deep understanding and fluency in fractions, decimals, proportional reasoning and ratios is severely limited. Understanding multiplicative structure enables students to move beyond additive strategies such as skip counting and repeated addition, to efficient and sophisticated strategies that grow from their ability to think simultaneously about composite units. While there has been substantial research into early stages of students’ understanding in multiplication, there has been limited work exploring the more complex domain of multi-digit multiplication. The domain-specific instructional theory developed through the research described in this thesis includes a number of key features that build on and expand existing research. It draws on social constructivist perspectives to document the social and cognitive development of learners by uncovering, examining and analysing the mathematical practices that emerge through the collective learning in the classroom. Students’ invented strategies for multi-digit multiplication problems are connected to key developmental understandings of commutativity, associativity and distributivity. The crucial role of the array is explored in the process of students’ sense-making and reasoning. The theory developed in the research proposes an instructional sequence from a model of specific, contextualised situations, through to a model for more generalised mathematical reasoning in the domain of multi-digit multiplication. Design Research methods were used to inform the development of the domain-specific instructional theory. A hypothetical learning trajectory was constructed based on a review of relevant research-based literature into students’ use of the array and on curriculum documentation guiding teachers’ practices. The learning trajectory was tested in two separate teaching experiments, each involving ten teaching episodes conducted over a two-week period. Work samples, video and interview responses from a total of 55 Year 5 students from two classes were analysed and used to inform evidence-based refinement and modification of the learning trajectory. Ways in which learning could be supported through the implementation of the learning trajectory were also documented. Several key findings emerged through the design research. Students used a variety of invented strategies that drew on additive and multiplicative thinking, in some cases exclusively and in others, in combination. Students’ reasoning and justification relied predominately on the array, enabling them to make sense of the multiplicative structure in a way that symbolic recording alone did not. A number of different forms of the array were used in the study, with students electing to use different forms of the array based on the function they needed the array to serve. As students’ appreciation of and confidence with the multiplicative structure increased, their reliance on the array decreased, allowing them to move to more numerical notation underpinned by the sense-making developed through use of the array. Four mathematical practices relating to the social development of students’ understanding of the multiplicative structure were identified. Two of these: partitioning based on place value, and; using factors to manipulate the array, were based on students’ use of the array as a tool for sense-making. The other two, thinking multiplicatively, and; looking for friendly numbers, were based on ways that the students worked mathematically. Additionally, a set of five mathematical norms was identified as central to each students’ development of these mathematical practices. These were: looking for similarity and difference; making inferences; using representations; justification, and: forming generalisations. The research highlights some crucial aspects of teaching practice that are essential if students are to develop a sound understanding of multi-digit multiplication. First, instruction needs to focus on multiplicative structure built on representations that highlight fundamental mathematical properties. Second, computational fluency grows from an understanding of structure but needs to be explicitly developed through focused discussion of the mathematical features of particular strategies and representations. Third, mathematics classrooms must be focused on sense-making through carefully orchestrated discussion of students’ invented strategies and representations. Finally, the affordances and constraints of different forms of representation must be recognised in order to make clear the function that each of the possible forms might perform. The research therefore adds to the existing literature relating to multi-digit multiplication and to that relating to the development of sociomathematical norms. It brings cognitive and social perspectives of learning together in a new way, proposing a focus on form and function in multiplicative thinking and a set of transcendent mathematical norms that underpin students’ reasoning in mathematics.
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Travers, Michael David. "Programming with agents new metaphors for thinking about computation." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1996. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/29109.
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Wärmedal, Linnea. "Computational Thinking - A New Approach for Teaching Computer Science to College Freshmen." Thesis, Umeå universitet, Institutionen för datavetenskap, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-92827.
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Felix, qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas The traditional way of introducing computer science to college freshmen is through a programming course. Such a course often account for programming, problem solving, efficiency, debugging, memory allocation and complexity. The student is presented to all of this within the first course in computer science. To be introduced to all these concepts during the first course could be compared to learning fundamental arithmetic alongside the mean value theorem. What if the student, instead of learning the traditional, where to learn the basics of computer science? What if programming didn’t come first? If the student where to get proficient in the basics of computer science they would be able to focus on the specifics of the different field of computer science. In this thesis I present a proposition of a syllabus for a college freshmen course to be taught to computer science minors. The course will be built on the concepts of computational thinking. The concept of computational thinking and how it is used in education will also be account for.
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Brackmann, Christian Puhlmann. "Desenvolvimento do pensamento computacional através de atividades desplugadas na educação básica." reponame:Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFRGS, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10183/172208.
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Computadores impactam em quase todos os aspectos de nossas vidas, porém as escolas não conseguem acompanhar esse caminho sem volta. A simples utilização massiva de aparatos tecnológicos na sala de aula não garante a melhoria do ensino, porém pode ser o meio pelo qual os estudantes encontram alternativas para a solução de problemas complexos. O Pensamento Computacional é uma abordagem de ensino que usa diversas técnicas oriundas da Ciência da Computação e vem gerando um novo foco educacional no quesito inovação nas escolas mundiais como um conjunto de competências de solução de problemas que devem ser compreendidos por uma nova geração de estudantes em conjunto com as novas competências do século 21 (i.e., pensamento crítico, colaboração, etc.). Até o momento, não há um consenso de metodologia de ensino e disponibilidade de material para atender as expectativas dos professores. Para auxiliar sanar essa incerteza, esta pesquisa tem como objetivo a verificação da possibilidade de desenvolver o Pensamento Computacional na Educação Básica utilizando exclusivamente atividades desplugadas (sem o uso de computadores) em estudantes da educação primária para que crianças em regiões/escolas onde não há computadores/dispositivos eletrônicos, Internet e até mesmo energia elétrica também possam se beneficiar desse método. Os resultados obtidos através de uma abordagem Quase-Experimental em escolas Espanholas e Brasileiras, apresentam dados estatísticos que apontam uma melhoria significativa no desempenho dos estudantes que tiveram atividades de Pensamento Computacional Desplugado em ambos os países.Computational thinking is nowadays being widely adopted and investigated. Educators and researchers are using two main approaches to teach these skills in schools: with computer programming exercises, and with unplugged activities that do not require the use of digital devices or any kind of specific hardware. While the former is the mainstream approach, the latter is especially important for schools that do not count with proper technology resources, Internet connections or even electrical power. However, there is a lack of investigations that prove the effectiveness of the unplugged activities in the development of computational thinking skills, particularly in primary schools. This paper, which summarizes a quasi-experiment carried out in two primary schools in Spain and Brazil, tries to shed some light on this regard. The results show that students in the experimental groups, who took part in the unplugged activities, enhanced their computational thinking skills significantly more than their peers in the control groups who did not participate during the classes, proving that the unplugged approach is effective for the development of this ability.
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Pitkänen, K. (Kati). "Learning computational thinking and 21st century skills in the context of Fab Lab." Bachelor's thesis, University of Oulu, 2017. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-201706012320.
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The increasingly automated world has made humans more and more passive consumers. Students are great at using technologies but are not able to design and create artifacts by using technologies. At the same time, programming and computational thinking skills are seen ever more important in society and working life. The new National Core Curriculum for Basic Education in Finland focuses on future skills. It emphasizes pupils’ participation and responsibility of their schoolwork. It aims to regenerate work methods and learning environments used in basic education by using technologies and seeking new inspiring learning environments outside the classroom. The curriculum involves opportunities for pupils to develop their information and communication technology skills in all subjects, where also programming has been integrated as part of the objectives. It aims to respond to the requirements of study, working life, and active citizenship by focusing on to develop students’ transversal competences for commanding and combining different knowledge and skills. The aim of this study is to investigate in theory, how can computational thinking and twenty-first century skills be learnt in the context of maker culture. The study is conducted by a literature review on the maker culture approach in education to see, if there is a possibility to learn these skills in maker activities in the context of Fab Lab Oulu, Finland, which has potential to be new student-centered and technology-enhanced learning environment for schools in Oulu area. The study forms an understanding of growing maker culture phenomenon in education to realize its potential when considering to integrate making into formal education. It indicates differences between two similar but slightly different concepts, maker culture and maker movement, to notice that at first there was a maker culture philosophy, which has been later started to foster by a social movement called maker movement. Then, the study explores the historical and theoretical base of learning by doing and making to understand the roots and nature of maker culture. The study investigates what can maker culture give for education and how can digital fabrication learning activities in the context of Fab Lab Oulu foster and inspire learning computational thinking and 21st century skills. It presents how making cannot only bring about interest in science, technology, engineering and math subjects but also make students understand and connect their knowledge to the world around them. In Fab Lab, they can involve theory to practice, and experience project-based and collaborative learning, for solving meaningful challenges. To boot, they can find how are they able to design and build tangible artifacts and make their ideas become true and thus, be active producers.
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Nivens, Ryan A. "The Growing Role of Computing, Computer Science, and Computational Thinking in K-12." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/4738.
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Kim, Harang. "Designing Learning Activities to Support Young Women’s Interest in Programming and Computational Thinking." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för teknik och samhälle (TS), 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-20711.
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Over the last few years, the importance of computer science education for children has been promoted more and more vigorously. In addition, the demand for technology occupations has increased rapidly, and there are many job opportunities in computer science. However, there are not many women working in this field. One of the reasons is young women’s lack of interest in computer science. This study investigates how to attract young women to computer programming and support computational thinking through design and develop learning activities. This study’s approach includes several related researches, theories, and methodologies. Interviews, workshops, and observations were used to determine design requirements. The results demonstrate that tangible and meaningful artifacts are effective educational tools for computer programming. Based on the results, this research developed a prototype, “TomatoBox,” a do-it-yourself kit that creates toys while providing an enjoyableactivity to learn programming.
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Selby, Cynthia Collins. "How can the teaching of programming be used to enhance computational thinking skills?" Thesis, University of Southampton, 2014. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/366256/.
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The use of the term computational thinking, introduced in 2006 by Jeanette Wing, is having repercussions in the field of education. The term brings into sharp focus the concept of thinking about problems in a way that can lead to solutions that may be implemented in a computing device. Implementation of these solutions may involve the use of programming languages. This study explores ways in which programming can be employed as a tool to teach computational thinking and problem solving. Data is collected from teachers, academics, and professionals, purposively selected because of their knowledge of the topics of problem solving, computational thinking, or the teaching of programming. This data is analysed following a grounded theory approach. A Computational Thinking Taxonomy is developed. The relationships between cognitive processes, the pedagogy of programming, and the perceived levels of difficulty of computational thinking skills are illustrated by a model. Specifically, a definition for computational thinking is presented. The skills identified are mapped to Bloom’s Taxonomy: Cognitive Domain. This mapping concentrates computational skills at the application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation levels. Analysis of the data indicates that the less difficult computational thinking skills for beginner programmers are generalisation, evaluation, and algorithm design. Abstraction of functionality is less difficult than abstraction of data, but both are perceived as difficult. The most difficult computational thinking skill is reported as decomposition. This ordering of difficulty for learners is a reversal of the cognitive complexity predicted by Bloom’s model. The plausibility of this inconsistency is explored. The taxonomy, model, and the other results of this study may be used by educators to focus learning onto the computational thinking skills acquired by the learners, while using programming as a tool. They may also be employed in the design of curriculum subjects, such as ICT, computing, or computer science.
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Tarr, Melanie. "The other art of computer programming: A visual alternative to communicate computational thinking." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2020. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2280.
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The thesis will explore the implications of teaching computer science through visual communication. This study aims to define a framework for using pictures within learning computer science. Visual communication materials for teaching computer science were created and tested with Year 8 students. Along with a recent commercial and political focus on the introduction of coding to adolescents, it appears that the computer industry has a large shortfall of programmers. Accompanying this shortfall is a rise among adolescents in the preference for visual communication (Brumberger, 2011; Coats, 2006; Oblinger et al., 2005; Prensky, 2001; Tapscott, 1998) while textual communication currently dominates the teaching materials in the computing discipline. This study looks at the learning process and utilises the ideas of Gibson, Dewey and Piaget to consider the role of visual design in teaching programming. According to Piagetian theory Year 8 is the time a child begins to understand abstract thought. This research investigated through co-creation and prototyping how to creatively support cognition within the learning process. Visual communication theories, comprising the fields of graphic and information design, were employed to communicate computer science to approximately 60 junior high school students across eight schools. Literature in a range of visual communication fields is reviewed along with the psychology of perception and cognition to help create a prototype lesson plan for the target audience of Year 8 students. The history of computer science is reviewed to illustrate the mental imagery within the discipline and also to explore computational thinking concepts. These concepts are ". . . the metaphors and structures that underlie all areas of science and engineering" (Guzdial, 2008). The participants’ attitudes increased toward learning programming through visual communication. Quantitative questionnaires were used to gather data on cognition and measure the effectiveness of the learning process. Thirteen hypotheses were established concerning learning programming through pictures from the quantitative data. Focus groups further triangulated data gathered in the quantitative stage. Approximately seventy percent of the participants understood seventy percent of the information within the instrumentation. Models of intent to learn programming through pictures were established using structural equation modelling (SEM). Outcomes of the exegesis are a framework for using pictures that demonstrates computational thinking and explains the research.
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Tsoukalas, Kyriakos. "On Affective States in Computational Cognitive Practice through Visual and Musical Modalities." Diss., Virginia Tech, 2021. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/104069.
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Learners' affective states correlate with learning outcomes. A key aspect of instructional design is the choice of modalities by which learners interact with instructional content. The existing literature focuses on quantifying learning outcomes without quantifying learners' affective states during instructional activities. An investigation of how learners feel during instructional activities will inform the instructional systems design methodology of a method for quantifying the effects of individually available modalities on learners' affect.
The objective of this dissertation is to investigate the relationship between affective states and learning modalities of instructional computing. During an instructional activity, learners' enjoyment, excitement, and motivation are measured before and after a computing activity offered in three distinct modalities. The modalities concentrate on visual and musical computing for the practice of computational thinking. An affective model for the practice of computational thinking through musical expression was developed and validated.
This dissertation begins with a literature review of relevant theories on embodied cognition, learning, and affective states. It continues with designing and fabricating a prototype instructional apparatus and its virtual simulation as a web service, both for the practice of computational thinking through musical expression, and concludes with a study investigating participants' affective states before and after four distinct online computing activities.
This dissertation builds on and contributes to extant literature by validating an affective model for computational thinking practice through self-expression. It also proposes a nomological network for the construct of computational thinking for future exploration of the construct, and develops a method for the assessment of instructional activities based on predefined levels of skill and knowledge.Doctor of Philosophy
This dissertation investigates the role of learners' affect during instructional activities of visual and musical computing. More specifically, learners' enjoyment, excitement, and motivation are measured before and after a computing activity offered in four distinct ways. The computing activities are based on a prototype instructional apparatus, which was designed and fabricated for the practice of computational thinking. A study was performed using a virtual simulation accessible via internet browser. The study suggests that maintaining enjoyment during instructional activities is a more direct path to academic motivation than excitement.
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Burke, Lauren. "Computer Science Education at The Claremont Colleges: The Building of an Intuition." Scholarship @ Claremont, 2016. http://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/875.
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In this thesis, I discuss how the undergraduate computer scientist is trained, and how they learn what I am calling computational intuition. Computational intuition describes the methodology in which computer scientists approach their problems and solve them through the use of computers. Computational intuition is a series of skills and a way of thinking or approaching problems that students learn throughout their education. The main way that computational intuition is taught to students is through the experience they gain as they work on homework and classwork problems. To develop computational intuition, students learn explicit knowledge and techniques as well as knowledge that is tacit and harder to teach within the lectures of a classroom environment. Computational intuition includes concepts that professors and students discuss which include “computer science intuition,” “computational thinking,” general problem solving skills or heuristics, and trained judgement. This way of learning is often social, and I draw on the pedagogy of cognitive apprenticeship to understand the interactions between the professors, tutors, and other students help learners gain an understanding of the “computer science intuition.” It is this method of thinking that computer scientists at the Claremont Colleges have stated as being one of the most essential items that should be taught and gained throughout their education and signals a wider understanding of computer science as a field.
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BASTOS, JOAO ANTONIO DUTRA MARCONDES. "SUPPORT FOR COMPUTATIONAL THINKING KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER FROM VISUAL PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES TO TEXTUAL PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES." PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO, 2015. http://www.maxwell.vrac.puc-rio.br/Busca_etds.php?strSecao=resultado&nrSeq=25694@1.
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PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIROCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DO PESSOAL DE ENSINO SUPERIOR
PROGRAMA DE EXCELENCIA ACADEMICA
Produzir tecnologia tem se mostrado uma habilidade cada vez mais indispensável na sociedade moderna. Os usuários estão deixando de ser simples consumidores e passando a ser produtores, usando a tecnologia para expressarem suas ideias. Nesse contexto, o aprendizado do chamado raciocínio computacional deve ser tão importante quanto o de disciplinas básicas, como a leitura, a escrita e a aritmética. Ao desenvolver tal habilidade o aluno vai conseguir se expressar através do software. Diversos projetos ao redor do mundo têm suas tecnologias e didáticas próprias a fim de auxiliar o aluno a desenvolver tal capacidade. Porém, sabemos que em um contexto que está em constante evolução como é o caso da informática, não podemos deixar que o aluno fique preso a uma única ferramenta ou meio de se expressar. Ferramentas podem ficar obsoletas e ele perderia seu poder de produtor de tecnologia. Pensando nisso, foi elaborado um modelo de transferência do aprendizado do raciocínio computacional a ser incorporado a sistemas de documentação ativa que apoiam o ensino-aprendizado desta habilidade. O modelo auxiliará o designer na criação de um artefato tecnológico que seja capaz de ajudar alunos e professores a aprenderem uma nova linguagem de programação. O modelo, que é baseado na Engenharia Semiótica, é a principal contribuição científica dessa dissertação de mestrado.
Producing technology has been an increasingly essential ability in modern society. The users are no longer simple consumers but actually, also, technology producers, using technology to express their ideas. In this context, the learning of the so-called computational thinking should be as important as learning basic disciplines such as reading, writing and arithmetic. As long as the student can develop this ability, he will be able to express himself or herself through the software. Many projects around the world have their own technologies and pedagogy to help the student develop such capacity. However, we know that in a context that is constantly evolving as is the case of informatics, we cannot allow the student to be attached to a single tool or means. Tools may become obsolete and students would lose their technology producer status. With this in mind, we designed a learning transfer model of computational thinking, which will assist the designer in the creation of a technological artifact to help students and teachers learn a new programming language. The model, which is based on the Semiotic Engineering, is the main scientific contribution of this master s dissertation.
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George, Lenard. "COMPUTATIONAL THINKING FOR ADULTS- DESIGNING AN IMMERSIVE MULTI-MODAL LEARNING EXPERIENCE USING MIXED REALITY." Thesis, Malmö universitet, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-23635.
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Lodi, Michael <1988>. "Introducing Computational Thinking in K-12 Education: Historical, Epistemological, Pedagogical, Cognitive, and Affective Aspects." Doctoral thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2020. http://amsdottorato.unibo.it/9188/1/Tesi_Dottorato_Lodi.pdf.
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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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Amanda, Tholin. "Utvecklingsmöjligheter vid användandet av making i programmeringsundervisning : En studie om elevers möjligheter och svårigheter i skapandet av kod." Thesis, Jönköping University, Högskolan för lärande och kommunikation, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-49215.
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Programming is a new subject in the Swedish curriculum, as a part in teaching mathematics. Literature studies highlights the need of empirical studies in order to develop computational thinking. “Making” is a pedagogical practice used in teaching programming which, according to previous research, has been successful with the aim of creating code in programming environments. However, there is critical opinions about the use of making and how the use of the practice can enable computational thinking. The purpose has therefore been to investigate the opportunities and difficulties that may arise in the use of making, as well as what active actions students choose to do when they encounter “bugs” when creating code. The aim of the study is therefore to investigate and deepen the understanding of the use to develop computational thinking in programming environments in later years mathematic education. In order to achieve the purpose of the study, participant observations were used as method in two classes in grades 7. Centrally for the method is that the observation amplifies with interviews. The result provides a basis for data which resulted in three subcategories in the material analysis, based on the theoretical framework of the study, which is computational thinking. The categories were named ”everyday examples”, “mathematics and programming syntax” and “endurance” (when student encounter “bugs”). The categories provided a basis for the opportunities and difficulties that can arise when using making and how teachers are supposed to teach to motivate students during bugs while creating code to develop computational thinking.
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Banks, Gatenby Amanda. "Developing perspectives of knowledgeability through a pedagogy of expressibility with the Raspberry Pi." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2018. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/developing-perspectives-of-knowledgeability-through-a-pedagogy-of-expressibility-with-the-raspberry-pi(246a7889-d2a5-41ad-bd15-e04c0f36b529).html.
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The curriculum for ICT in UK schools was discontinued in September 2012 and replaced by a 'rebranded' subject of Computing, divided into three sub domains: Computer Science; Information Technology; and digital literacy. The latter was positioned as basic technical skills. There were concerns in the education community that the new curriculum promoted programming and computer science topics to the detriment of digital literacy and applied uses of technology. Much of the Computing education literature perpetuates the hegemony of the logical and abstract, and implies computational thinking and rationality are synonymous with criticality. During the same period, a maker culture was growing rapidly in the UK, and discourses around these activities promoted an entirely different notion of digital literacy, aligned with the wide body of literacy literature that focuses on notions of empowerment and criticality rather than basic functional skills. A digital maker tool called the Raspberry Pi was released with the intention of supporting the development of computer science and digital making competence, and thus sat at the boundary of the academic and maker communities. This thesis argues that developing 'criticality' is a vital component of Computing education and explores how learning activities with the Raspberry Pi might support development of 'criticality'. In setting the scene for the investigation, I will first explore the notions underpinning discourse around both computational and critical thinking and digital literacy, suggesting that the frictions would be best overcome by abandoning abstract constructs of knowledge and assumptions that it is possible to separate theory and practice. I show how the term 'critical' is itself problematic in the literature and I look to Wenger's social theory of learning to avoid the individualistic limits of Papert's constructionism, a popular learning theory in Computing education. Wenger's constructs of knowledgeability and competence help tell a different story of what it means to be a learner of the practice of Computing, both in learning for academic purposes and with intentions towards becoming a practitioner. In concert with learning citizenship, these constructs offer a more ethical framing of 'criticality'. Informed by this theoretical position, I suggest an original, exploratory implementation of Q methodology to explore learning with technology in school settings. I qualitatively compare 'before' and 'after' Q studies that represent perspectives at the individual and collective level, with reference to observations of classroom learning. The methodology facilitates a nuanced and complex investigation and the findings of the project suggest that where pupils are already predisposed to the subject, working with the Raspberry Pi develops a broader knowledgeability, but where there is no such predisposition, a pedagogy of expressibility influences how participation in Raspberry Pi learning activities may impact knowledgeability.
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CURASMA, HERMINIO PAUCAR. "A TOOL FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF PROGRAMMING AND COMPUTATIONAL THINKING WITH MOTIVATION USING VIRTUAL REALITY." PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO, 2017. http://www.maxwell.vrac.puc-rio.br/Busca_etds.php?strSecao=resultado&nrSeq=36299@1.
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PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIROCOORDENAÇÃO DE APERFEIÇOAMENTO DO PESSOAL DE ENSINO SUPERIOR
PROGRAMA DE EXCELENCIA ACADEMICA
No nosso quotidiano ouvimos com frequência falar da importância das Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC) pelos diversos atores sociais. A influência das TIC atravessa as diversas áreas da sociedade como: agricultura, serviços, comércio, indústria, investigação, entre outros. Se fizermos um raciocínio inverso será difícil nomearmos campos sociais que não sejam influenciados direta ou indiretamente pelas TIC. Além disso a demanda de trabalhadores em Computer Science e áreas relacionadas a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) está em aumento. É por isso mesmo que é importante que as crianças desde tenra idade se interessem pela tecnologia (Programação de computadores) e participem dela de uma forma divertida e lúdica. O presente trabalho propõe a criação de uma ferramenta de Realidade Virtual que permite que os estudantes aprendem conceitos básicos da programação e pensamento computacional tendo como finalidade que eles desfrutem da tecnologia e se sintam motivados em aprender mais. A ferramenta é uma Linguagem Visual de Programação. Os algoritmos são formados mediante a montagem de blocos-, resolvendo com isso um dos principais problemas dos estudantes que são os erros de sintaxe. Além disso a ferramenta traz consigo um conjunto de desafios ordenados por níveis, que têm como finalidade ensinar aos estudantes princípios básicos da programação e a lógica (programação sequencial, estrutura de dados repetitiva e condicional), onde em cada nível o aluno aprenderá as diferentes conceitos e comportamentos do pensamento computacional. Para as avaliações com os usuários se contou com a participação de 18 alunos com idades entre 12 e 15 anos provenientes de duas instituições públicas do Rio de Janeiro. Nestas avaliações considerou-se também medir a sensação de imersão mediante a Telepresença, Presença Social e Usabilidade.
Nowadays, we often hear about the importance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by various social actors. The influence of ICT crosses the various areas of society as agriculture, services, trade, industry, research, among others. If we do an inverse reasoning, it will be difficult to name social fields that are not directly or indirectly influenced by ICTs. In addition, the demand for workers in Computer Science and areas related to the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is on the rise. That is why it is important to make the young person interested in technology (Computer programming) and participate in it in a fun and playful way. The present work proposes the creation of a Virtual Reality tool that allows students to learn basic concepts of programming and computational thinking with the purpose that they enjoy the technology and feel motivated to learn more. The tool is a Visual Programming Language; the algorithms are formed by block-assembly, thereby solving one of the students main problems, which are syntax errors. In addition, the tool brings with it a set of level-ordered challenges aimed at teaching students basic principles of programming and logic (sequential programming, repetitive and conditional data structure), where at each level the student will learn the different concepts and behaviors of computational thinking. For the evaluations with the users we counted on the participation of 18 students between 12 and 15 years old coming from two public institutions of Rio de Janeiro. In these evaluations it was also considered to measure the sensation of immersion through Telepresence, Social Presence and Usability.
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Kim, Victoria Herbst. "Development of an e-Textile Debugging Module to Increase Computational Thinking among Graduate Education Students." Thesis, Pepperdine University, 2019. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=13813742.
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The increased presence of technology in all aspects of daily life makes computational thinking a necessary skill. Predictions say that the rising need for computational thinkers will be unmet by computer science graduates. An e-textile learning module, based on principles of constructionism, was designed as a method to develop computational thinking skills and encourage interest and confidence in the computing fields in both male and female graduate education students. The module leveraged the affordances of the LilyPad Arduino, a technology that allows for the creation of projects that integrate textiles and electronics without soldering. The creation of the learning module relied on design-based research methodologies and followed the use-modify-create principle for the included activities. Multiple data sources were analyzed using The Computational Thinking Rubric for Examining Students’ Project Work to examine artifacts and interactions for indications of computational thinking concepts, practices, and perspectives. Students participated in debugging activities and created their own projects as part of the learning module. Analysis of the learning module activities showed students using computational thinking concepts, engaged in computational thinking practices, and exhibiting computational thinking perspectives. During the coding process, several new computational thinking concepts, practices, and perspectives emerged. There was evidence of both an increase and decrease in confidence among the student participants. Improvements for the next iteration of the learning module were presented and the implications for the study of computational thinking explored. The study helps contradict the shrinking pipeline metaphor by showing that it is possible to encourage interest in computation in university students, not just middle-school students.
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Leoni, Luca. "Competenze e competizioni di informatica: valutazioni sperimentali." Master's thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2012. http://amslaurea.unibo.it/3128/.
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Volkova, Tanya N. Presmeg Norma C. "Characterizing preservice teachers' thinking in computational estimation with regard to whole numbers, fractions, decimals, and percents." Normal, Ill. : Illinois State University, 2006. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?index=0&did=1276391451&SrchMode=1&sid=6&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1181316122&clientId=43838.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006.Title from title page screen, viewed on June 8, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Norma C. Presmeg (chair), Cynthia W. Langrall, Beverly S. Rich, Janet Warfield. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 177-187) and abstract. Also available in print.
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Moran, Renee, Huili Hong, Karin Keith, LaShay Jennings, and Natalia Ward. "The Integration of Computational Thinking in an Inquiry Based ELA Classroom: Fun with Robotics and Coding." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2019. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/5946.
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Have you ever wondered how to integrate the latest technology into the English Language Arts (ELA) Classroom? In this fun and interactive session, you will get to tinker with the newest technology such as the Dash Robot and the Blockley and Wonder Robotic apps. Presenters will demonstrate how to use computational thinking to increase student motivation as well as student analytical skills. Participants will leave the session with various resources and ideas about how to integrate robotics and computational thinking into their ELA class immediately!
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Björkman, Desireé. "Machine Learning Evaluation of Natural Language to Computational Thinking : On the possibilities of coding without syntax." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för informationsteknologi, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-424269.
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Voice commands are used in today's society to offer services like putting events into a calendar, tell you about the weather and to control the lights at home. This project tries to extend the possibilities of voice commands by improving an earlier proof of concept system that interprets intention given in natural language to program code. This improvement was made by mixing linguistic methods and neural networks to increase accuracy and flexibility of the interpretation of input. A user testing phase was made to conclude if the improvement would attract users to the interface. The results showed possibilities of educational purposes for computational thinking and the issues to overcome to become a general programming tool.
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Lo, Steson Koon-Siu. "Thinking Digitally: Individual Differences in Mental Representations of Number and Computational Algorithms Associated with Exact Quantities." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/16328.
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The present research explored mental representations of number, the computational algorithms used to solve multi-digit arithmetic tasks, and how mental manipulation of exact quantities are modulated by individual differences in working memory capacity and method of instruction through six experiments. The first three experiments focused on holistic or decomposed mental representation of 2-digit numbers in Australian university students using a magnitude judgement and number bisection task. Since holistic or decomposed magnitude representations are associated with different multi-digit addition algorithms, Experiment 4 investigated individual differences in orthographic precision and strategies for multi-digit addition using a same-different mental arithmetic task. Experiment 5 explored the relationship between working memory and construction of novel strategies in a mathematical problem solving task using Diophantine equations. Individual differences in mental representations were further explored in Experiment 6 by comparing Australian university students with Japanese children who were skilled users of a ‘mental abacus’. Although the Japanese children’s performance was superior to the university students on virtually all tasks, both groups appeared to use qualitatively similar strategies of computing the total of 2-digit numbers by decomposing each of the operands according to unit and decade positions. Why are some people better at maths than others? The results suggest that computational speed and accuracy were associated with larger working memory capacity, stronger decomposed mental representations of number, and an educational approach that involved plenty of practice. All of these attributes facilitate application of exact multi-digit algorithms. Aside from the theoretical implications of these findings for the field of numerical cognition, the results are also practically important for teachers and policy makers.
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Lawanto, Kevin N. "Exploring Trends in Middle School Students' Computational Thinking in the Online Scratch Community: a Pilot Study." DigitalCommons@USU, 2016. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/5072.
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Teaching computational thinking has been a focus of recent efforts to broaden the reach of computer science (CS) education for today’s students who live and work in a world that is heavily influenced by computing principles. Computational thinking (CT) essentially means thinking like a computer scientist by using principles and concepts learned in CS as part of our daily lives. Not only is CT essential for the development of computer applications, but it can also be used to support problem solving across all disciplines. Computational thinking involves solving problems by drawing from skills fundamental to CS such as decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithm design.
The present study examined how Dr. Scratch, a CT assessment tool, functions as an assessment for computational thinking. This study compared strengths and weaknesses of the CT skills of 360 seventh- and eighth-grade students who were engaged in a Scratch programming environment through the use of Dr. Scratch. The data were collected from a publicly available dataset available on the Scratch website. The Mann-Whitney U analysis revealed that there were specific similarities and differences between the seventh- and eighth-grade CT skills. The findings also highlight affordances and constraints of Dr. Scratch as a CT tool and address the challenges of analyzing Scratch projects from young Scratch learners. Recommendations are offered to researchers and educators about how they might use Scratch data to help improve students’ CT skills.
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Boucinha, Rafael Marimon. "Aprendizagem do pensamento computacional e desenvolvimento do raciocínio." reponame:Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da UFRGS, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10183/172300.
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Esta tese descreve um estudo quase experimental que teve como objetivo: investigar a relação entre a construção do Pensamento Computacional e o desenvolvimento do raciocínio de estudantes dos últimos anos do Ensino Fundamental. A pesquisa foi realizada utilizando um curso de extensão em Desenvolvimento de Games, ofertado em 2 escolas particulares de Porto Alegre, tendo a participação de 50 alunos. A prática de ensino-aprendizagem proposta foi construída com base em pressupostos teóricos da aprendizagem significativa e aprendizagem experiencial. O Pensamento Computacional e o raciocínio dos alunos foram avaliados antes e após o término do curso, sendo utilizados para este fim o Teste de Pensamento Computacional e as provas que compõe a Bateria de Provas de Raciocínio – BPR-5. A análise estatística dos dados permitiu evidenciar um incremento do Pensamento Computacional, bem como do Raciocínio Verbal, Raciocínio Abstrato e Raciocínio Mecânico dos alunos que participaram do experimento. Comprovou-se também uma correlação positiva entre o Pensamento Computacional e os cinco tipos de raciocínio avaliados. Os resultados deste estudo demonstram como a construção do Pensamento Computacional contribuí no desenvolvimento cognitivo dos alunos e é apresentada uma proposta pedagógica que pode servir de referência para novos estudos na área.This thesis describes a quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate a relationship between the construction of Computational Thinking and the development of students' reasoning in Middle School. A research was carried out during a course about Games Development, offered in two private schools in Porto Alegre, with 50 students. The proposed teaching-learning practice was built on the theoretical assumptions of meaningful learning and experiential learning. Both, Computational Thinking and reasoning, of the students were measured before and after the course, using a Computational Thinking Test and a set of reasoning evidence tests (BPR-5). The statistical analysis of the data showed an increase in Computational Thinking, as well as Verbal Reasoning, Abstract Reasoning and Mechanical Reasoning of the students participating in the experiment. There was also a positive observation between Computational Thinking and the five types of reasoning. The results of this study demonstrate how the construction of Computational Thinking contributes to the cognitive development of students and presents a pedagogical proposal that can serve as a reference for new studies in the area.
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Liebe, Christine Lynn. "An Examination of Abstraction in K-12 Computer Science Education." ScholarWorks, 2019. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/6728.
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Computer scientists have been working towards a common definition of abstraction; however, the instruction and assessment of abstraction remain categorically underresearched. Because abstraction is often cited as a component of computational thinking, abstraction has been summarily likened to a higher order thinking skill. A broad conceptual framework including philosophy, psychology, constructionism, and computational thinking was aligned with the descriptive qualitative design and guided the literature review and data analysis. This qualitative examination of how teachers determine curriculum, deliver instruction, and design assessments in K-12 computer science education provides insight into best practices and variables for future quantitative study. The instructional strategies, objectives, and assessments of twelve K-12 computer science teachers from 3 states were examined in this descriptive qualitative examination of instruction using thematic coding analysis. The majority of teachers had little to no professional development regarding teaching abstraction. All teachers in the study were unsure what student abstraction abilities should be according to grade level. Teachers' understanding of abstraction ranged from very little knowledge to very knowledgeable. The majority of teachers did not actively assess abstraction. Teachers described successfully teaching abstraction through multiple instructional practices and spiraling curriculum. Practical descriptive insights illuminate additional variables to research the instruction of abstraction qualitatively and quantitatively, as well as provide anecdotal instructional successes.
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Holfve, Amelie. "Elevers förståelse för programmering : En fallstudie om elevers förståelse för programmering i årskurs 5." Thesis, Örebro universitet, Institutionen för naturvetenskap och teknik, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:oru:diva-86153.
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Programmering har introducerats som ett nytt delmoment i den svenska läroplanen sedan2018. Denna fallstudie har därför fokuserat på elevers förståelse för programmering iintroducerande undervisning. Detta för att hjälpa lärare att få en bättre förståelse för hur de kanimplementera programmering i sin undervisning. Teorin datalogiskt tänkande har använts somgrund för analys av datamaterialet, för att identifiera elevers inkrementella och iterativa processsamt testa och felsöka processen. Teorin användes också för att identifiera elevers förståelse förprogrammeringsbegrepp. Insamlingen av datamaterialet utfördes med inspelningar av eleversskärmar och samtal, medan de introducerades till programmering i Scratch. Resultatet visadepå att elever hade svårigheter med vissa programmeringsbegrepp. En slutsats var även attprogrammeringsprocesserna var beroende av varandra för att utvecklas.Programming is since 2018, a new subject in the Swedish curriculum. This case studytherefore focuses on students’ understanding of introductory programming, to help teachers geta better understanding of how to teach and assess the subject. The theory computationalthinking was used as a foundation for identifying the students’ incremental and iterative processas well as their testing and debugging process. It was also used for identifying the students’understanding of programming concepts. The data for this study was collected throughrecordings of students’ screens and conversations, while introducing them to programming inScratch. The results showed that students had some difficulties with some programmingconcepts. Furthermore, the results showed that the processes were dependant on each other’sdevelopment.
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Leifheit, Luzia [Verfasser]. "The Role of Self-Concept and Motivation Within the "Computational Thinking" Approach to Early Computer Science Education / Luzia Leifheit." Tübingen : Universitätsbibliothek Tübingen, 2021. http://d-nb.info/1231790725/34.
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Donley, Kevin Scott. "Coding in the Curriculum: Learning Computational Practices and Concepts, Creative Problem Solving Skills, and Academic Content in Ten to Fourteen-Year-Old Children." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2018. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/514678.
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Educational PsychologyPh.D.
The fundamentals of computer science are increasingly important to consider as critical educational and occupational competencies, as evidenced by the rapid growth of computing capabilities and the proliferation of the Internet in the 21st century, combined with reimagined national education standards. Despite this technological and social transformation, the general education environment has yet to embrace widespread incorporation of computational concepts within traditional curricular content and instruction. Researchers have posited that exercises in computational thinking can result in gains in other academic areas (Baytak & Land, 2011; Olive, 1991), but their studies aimed at identifying any measurable educational benefits of teaching computational concepts to school age children have often lacked both sufficient experimental control and inclusion of psychometrically sound measures of cognitive abilities and academic achievement (Calao, Moreno-León, Correa, & Robles, 2015). The current study attempted to shed new light on the question of whether using a graphically-based computer coding environment and semi-structured curriculum –the Creative Computing Course in the Scratch programming language –can lead to demonstrable and significant changes in problem solving, creative thinking, and knowledge of computer programming concepts. The study introduced 24 youth in a summer educational program in Philadelphia, PA to the Scratch programming environment through structured lessons and open-ended projects for approximately 25 hours over the course of two weeks. A delayed treatment, control trial design was utilized to measure problem solving ability with a modified version of the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities, Fourth Edition (WJ-IV), Concept Formation subtest, and the Kaufman Tests of Educational Achievement, Third Edition (KTEA-3) Math Concepts and Applications subtest. Creative problem solving was measured using a consensual assessment technique (Amabile, 1982). A pre-test and post-test of programming conceptual knowledge was used to understand how participants’ computational thinking skills influenced their learning. In addition, two questionnaires measuring computer use and the Type-T (Thrill) personality characteristic were given to participants to examine the relationship between risk-taking or differences in children’s usage of computing devices and their problem solving ability and creative thinking skills. There were no differences found among experimental and control groups on problem solving or creative thinking, although a substantial number of factors limited and qualified interpretation of the results. There was also no relationship between performance on a pre-test of computational thinking, and a post-test measuring specific computational thinking skills and curricular content. There were, however, significant, moderate to strong correlations among academic achievement as measured by state standardized test scores, the KTEA-3 Math Concepts and Applications subtest, and both the pre and post Creative Problem Solving test developed for the study. Also, higher levels of the Type T, or thrill-seeking, personality characteristic were associated with lower behavioral reinforcement token computer “chips," but there were no significant relationships among computer use and performance on assessments. The results of the current study supported retention of the null hypothesis, but were limited by small sample size, environmental and motivational issues, and problems with the implementation of the curriculum and selected measures. The results should, therefore, not be taken as conclusive evidence to support the notion that computer programming activities have no impact in other areas of cognitive functioning, mathematic conceptual knowledge, or creative thinking. Instead, the results may help future researchers to further refine their techniques to both deliver effective instruction in the Scratch programming environment, and also target assessments to more accurately measure learning.
Temple University--Theses
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Feldhausen, Russell A. "Mission to Mars: a computer science curriculum for middle school STEM camps." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/38864.
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Master of ScienceDepartment of Computer Science
Daniel A. Andresen
This thesis presents a curriculum designed for 5th and 6th grade students attending a summer camp for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The curriculum uses several concepts from educational theory and computer science education research. It also uses techniques such as cognitive apprenticeship, expansive framing, and scaffolded lessons to increase student learning outcomes. It was taught during two cohorts of a STEM summer camp. The curriculum is analyzed through self-efficacy surveys both before and after the class, measuring how students judged their own capability to use skills learned during the class. Analysis of the data shows that the increase in student self-efficacy has a medium to large effect size overall, as well as student self-efficacy with many computational thinking skills. Data from various population groups based on gender, previous STEM experience, and socio-economic status indicators is also analyzed. Finally, many areas of future work and improvement are presented and discussed. The outcome of this work is to demonstrate the effectiveness of the curriculum presented in increasing student self-efficacy with computational thinking skills, specifically by showing the links between content in the curriculum and specific computational thinking skills.