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Computational thinking is acknowledged as a fundamental and essential competency that everyone needs to learn for the future. Game-based learning could be a potential platform for improving students’ computational thinking competency with respect to its unique features. However, prior research studies in the field of using games to improve computational thinking draw predominant attention to programming concepts and skills which are fundamental skills of computer science than developing computational thinking competency which students can use across the interdisciplinary. Therefore, the current study investigated how curriculum-oriented game-based learning impacted middle school students’ learning processes, particularly on the development of students’ computational thinking competency, self-efficacy toward computational thinking, and learning engagement in terms of their grade, gender, and prior gaming experience.
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Computational Thinking Integration into Middle Grades Science Classrooms: Strategies for Meeting the Challenges
This paper reports findings from the efforts of a university-based research team as they worked with middle school educators within formal school structures to infuse computer science principles and computational thinking practices. Despite the need to integrate these skills within regular classroom practices to allow all students the opportunity to learn these essential 21st Century skills, prior practice has been to offer these learning experiences outside of mainstream curricula where only a subset of students has access. We have sought to leverage elements of the research-practice partnership framework to achieve our project objectives of integrating computer science and computational thinking within middle science classrooms. Utilizing a qualitative approach to inquiry, we present narratives from three case schools, report on themes across work sites, and share recommendations to guide other practitioners and researchers who are looking to engage in technology-related initiatives to impact the lives of middle grades students.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1640141
- PAR ID:
- 10100691
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Middle grades review
- Volume:
- 4
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 2379-4690
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- The DOI is not currently available.
