C2STEM is a web-based learning environment founded on a novel paradigm that combines block-structured, visual programming with the concept of domain specific modeling languages (DSMLs) to promote the synergistic learning of discipline-specific and computational thinking (CT) concepts and practices. Our design-based, collaborative learning environment aims to provide students in K-12 classrooms with immersive experiences in CT through computational modeling in realistic scenarios (e.g., building models of scientific phenomena). The goal is to increase student engagement and include inclusive opportunities for developing key computational skills needed for the 21st century workforce. Research implementations that include a semester-long high school physics classroom study have demonstrated the effectiveness of our approach in supporting synergistic learning of STEM and CS/CT concepts and practices, especially when compared to a traditional classroom approach. This technology demonstration will showcase our CS+X (X = physics, marine biology, or earth science) learning environment and associated curricula. Participants can engage in our design process and learn how to develop curricular modules that cover STEM and CS/CT concepts and practices. Our work is supported by an NSF STEM+C grant and involves a multi-institutional team comprising Vanderbilt University, SRI International, Looking Glass Ventures, Stanford University, Salem State University, and ETR. More information, including example computational modeling tasks, can be found at C2STEM.org.
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Vectors of CT-ification: Integrating Computational Activities in STEM Classrooms.
While the Next Generation Science Standards set an expectation
for developing computer science and computational thinking (CT)
practices in the context of science subjects, it is an open question
as to how to create curriculum and assessments that develop and
measure these practices. In this poster, we show one possible solution to this problem: to introduce students to computer science
through infusing computational thinking practices ("CT-ifying")
science classrooms. To address this gap, our group has worked to
explicitly characterize core CT-STEM practices as specific learning
objectives and we use these to guide our development of science
curriculum and assessments. However, having these learning objectives in mind is not enough to actually create activities that engage
students in CT practices. We have developed along with science
teachers, a strategy of examining a teacher’s existing curricula and
identifying potential activities and concepts to “CT-ify”, rather than
creating entirely new curricula from scratch by using the concept
of scale as an “attack vector” to design science units that integrate
computational thinking practices into traditional science curricula.
We demonstrate how we conceptualize four different versions of
scale in science, 1. Time, 2. Size, 3. Number, and 4. Repeatability. We
also present examples of these concepts in traditional high school
science curricula that hundreds of students in a large urban US
school district have used.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1842374
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10199155
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Proceedings of tThe 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- pp. 1361-1361
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Conference Paper:
- https://doi.org/10.1145/3328778.3372674
