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1. An Analysis of Use-Modify-Create Pedagogical Approach's Success in Balancing Structure and Student Agency

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3372782.3406256  

   Franklin, Diana; Coenraad, Merijke; Palmer, Jennifer; Eatinger, Donna; Zipp, Anna; Anaya, Marco; White, Max; Pham, Hoang; Gökdemir, Ozan; Weintrop, David (August 2020, ICER '20)

   null (Ed.)

   As computer science instruction gets offered to more young learn- ers, transitioning from elective to requirement, it is important to explore the relationship between pedagogical approach and student behavior. While different pedagogical approaches have particular motivations and intended goals, little is known about to what degree they satisfy those goals. In this paper, we present analysis of 536 students’ (age 9-14, grades 4-8) work within a Scratch-based, Use-Modify-Create (UMC) curriculum, Scratch Encore. We investigate to what degree the UMC progression encourages students to engage with the content of the lesson while providing the flexibility for creativity and exploration. Our findings show that this approach does balance structure with flexibility and creativity, allowing teachers wide variation in the degree to which they adhere to the structured tasks. Many students utilized recently-learned blocks in open-ended activities, yet they also explored blocks not formally taught. In addition, they took advantage of open-ended projects to change sprites, backgrounds, and integrate narratives into their projects. 

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2. Exploring Student Behavior Using the TIPP&SEE Learning Strategy

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3372782.3406257  

   Franklin, Diana; Salac, Jean; Crenshaw, Zachary; Turimella, Saranya; Klain, Zipporah; Anaya, Marco; Thomas, Cathy (August 2020, Proceedings of the 2020 International Computing Education Research Conference (ICER’20))

   As computer science instruction gets offered to more young learn- ers, transitioning from elective to requirement, it is important to explore the relationship between pedagogical approach and student behavior. While different pedagogical approaches have particular motivations and intended goals, little is known about to what degree they satisfy those goals. In this paper, we present analysis of 536 students’ (age 9-14, grades 4-8) work within a Scratch-based, Use-Modify-Create (UMC) curriculum, Scratch Encore. We investigate to what degree the UMC progression encourages students to engage with the content of the lesson while providing the flexibility for creativity and exploration. Our findings show that this approach does balance structure with flexibility and creativity, allowing teachers wide variation in the degree to which they adhere to the structured tasks. Many students utilized recently-learned blocks in open-ended activities, yet they also explored blocks not formally taught. In addition, they took advantage of open-ended projects to change sprites, backgrounds, and integrate narratives into their projects. 

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3. On the Development of Cybersecurity and Computing Centric Professional Developments and the Subsequent Implementation of Topics in K12 Lesson Plans (RTP)

   Robins, Andey; Burrows, Andrea C.; Borowczak, Mike (August 2022, ASEE Annual Conference proceedings)

   In recent years, Wyoming has developed Computer Science (CS) standards for adoption and use within K-12 classrooms. These standards, adopted in January of 2022, go into effect for the 2022-2023 school year. The University of Wyoming has offered two different computer science week-long professional developments for teachers. Many K-12 teachers do not have a CS background, so developing CS lessons plans can be a challenge in these PDs.This research study is centered around three central questions: 1) To what extent did K-12 teachers integrate computing topics into their PD created lesson plans; 2) How do the teacher perceptions from the two CS PDs compare to each other; and 3) How was the CS PD translated to classroom activity? The first PD opportunity (n=14), was designed to give hands-on learning with CS topics focused on cybersecurity. The second PD opportunity (n=28), focused on integrating CS into existing curricula. At the end of each of these PDs, teacher K-12 teachers incorporated CS topics into their selected existing lesson plan(s). Additionally, a support network was implemented to support excellence in CS education throughout the state. This research study team evaluated the lesson plans developed during each PD event, by using a rubric on each lesson plan. Researchers collected exit surveys from the teachers. Implementation metrics were also gathered, including, how long each lesson lasted, how many students were involved in the implementation, what grades the student belonged to, the basic demographics of the students, the type of course the lesson plan was housed in, if the K-12 teacher reached their intended purpose, what evidence the K-12 teacher had of the success of their lesson plan, data summaries based on supplied evidence, how the K-12 teachers would change the lesson, the challenges and successes they experienced, and samples of student work. Quantitative analysis was basic descriptive statistics. Findings, based on evaluation of 40+ lessons, taught to over 1500 K-12 students, indicate that when assessed on a three point rubric of struggling, emerging, or excellent - certain components (e.g., organization, objectives, integration, activities & assessment, questions, and catch) of K-12 teacher created lessons plans varied drastically. In particular, lesson plan organization, integration, and questions each had a significant number of submissions which were evaluated as "struggling" [45%, 46%, 41%] through interesting integration, objectives, activities & assessment, and catch all saw submissions which were evaluated as "excellent" [43%, 48%, 43%, 48%]. The relationship between existing K-12 policies and expectations surfaces within these results and in combination with other findings leads to implications for the translation of current research practices into pre-collegiate PDs. 

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4. Integrating CT in Science Methods: Advancing Practice and Pedagogy

   https://doi.org/10.13001/jtilt.v4i1.9339  

   Kale, Ugur; Wang, Yuanhua (June 2025, Journal of Technology-Integrated Lessons and Teaching)

   Despite the importance of computational thinking (CT) as a problem-solving process (Wing, 2008) and the growing spread in teacher education (Yadav et al., 2017), existing initiatives for preservice teachers (PSTs) tend to focus on the computer science domain without making explicit connections to disciplinary classroom settings and promoting critical perspectives. As a cohesive unit, this learning representation aims to assist PSTs in integrating CT into their work as they design and implement science-focused lessons.Centered around a contextual issue: accessing, growing, and sustaining food, this learning representation employs 2D and 3D block-based programming languages coupled with unplugged activities that demonstrate CT practices, processes, and concepts. PSTs’ group designs, lesson modifications, and full lesson plans provide opportunities for assessment. 

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5. High school science teacher use of planning tools to integrate computational thinking.

   https://doi.org/10.1080/1046560X.2021.1970088  

   Peters-Burton, E.; Rich, P.J.; Kitsantas, A.; Laclede, L.; Stehle, S. (October 2021, Journal of science teacher education)

   In an effort to deepen learning in K-12 science classrooms, there has been a national movement to integrate computational thinking (CT). The purpose of this phenomenographic study was to understand teachers’ perceptions of the function and usefulness of a task analysis and a decision tree tool designed to help them with integration. Teachers participated in a long-term professional development to improve their knowledge and application of CT and then developed lesson plans integrating CT into science investigations. To assist in the integration, teachers used the two unique tools. No one lesson plan or content area addressed all of the CT practices, but all CT practices were addressed in lessons across all four science areas. All 19 teachers found that the task analysis tool helped them to shift their lessons to a student-centered focus and helped them pinpoint data practices so they could systematically integrate CT practices. However, they expressed confusion over the amount of detail to document on the tool. Similarly, teachers found both benefits and barriers to the decision tree tool. Teachers found the decision tree tool to be useful in predicting the ways students may misunderstand a data practice and in reflecting on the level of accomplishment of students. However, teachers were sometimes uncertain with how to efficiently document complex student behaviors when engaged with data practices and CT. Implications for the use of the two lesson planning tools is discussed. 

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