An official website of the United States government
Abstract Contemporary science is a field that is becoming increasingly computational. Today’s scientists not only leverage computational tools to conduct their investigations, they often must contribute to the design of the computational tools for their specific research. From a science education perspective, for students to learn authentic science practices, students must learn to use the tools of the trade. This necessity in science education has shaped recent K–12 science standards including the Next Generation Science Standards, which explicitly mention the use of computational tools and simulations. These standards, in particular, have gone further and mandated thatcomputational thinkingbe taught and leveraged as a practice of science. While computational thinking is not a new term, its inclusion in K–12 science standards has led to confusion about what the term means in the context of science learning and to questions about how to differentiate computational thinking from other commonly taught cognitive skills in science like problem-solving, mathematical reasoning, and critical thinking. In this paper, we propose a definition ofcomputational thinking for science(CT-S) and a framework for its operationalization in K–12 science education. We situate our definition and framework in Activity Theory, from the learning sciences, in order to position computational thinking as an input to and outcome of science learning that is mediated by computational tools.
more »
« less
A Revaluation of Computational Thinking in K–12 Education: Moving Toward Computational Literacies
Over the past decade, initiatives around the world have introduced computing into K–12 education under the umbrella of computational thinking. While initial implementations focused on skills and knowledge for college and career readiness, more recent framings include situated computational thinking (identity, participation, creative expression) and critical computational thinking (political and ethical impacts of computing, justice). This expansion reflects a revaluation of what it means for learners to be computationally-literate in the 21st century. We review the current landscape of K–12 computing education, discuss interactions between different framings of computational thinking, and consider how an encompassing framework of computational literacies clarifies the importance of computing for broader K–12 educational priorities as well as key unresolved issues.
more »
« less
- Award ID(s):
- 1742140
- PAR ID:
- 10309422
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Educational Researcher
- ISSN:
- 0013-189X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
-
Abstract Although computational thinking (CT) is becoming increasingly prevalent in K-12 education, many teachers find it challenging to integrate it with their classroom learning. In this systematic review, we have reviewed empirical evidence on teachers’ computational-thinking-focused professional development (PD). The findings depict the landscape of what has been done in terms of how PDs have been designed, how CT has been conceptualized, how learning outcomes have been assessed, and how teachers have been supported in integrating CT into their teaching practices. We have further summarized the lessons learned from the PDs and discussed the gaps as the field moves forward. These findings shed light on supporting teachers as the first step to creating an effective model for CT learning and development in K-12 education.more » « less
-
Historically, K–12 science education and curriculum development has been organized and enacted in silos by subject areas (biology, chemistry, physics, Earth and space science) with very little focus on the connectivity and relationships between them. In recent decades, however, major educational stakeholders such as the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) have called for an integrated and interdisciplinary K–12 science education (NSTA 2020). In addition, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS; NGSS Lead States 2013) include crosscutting concepts that link subjects, ideas, and practices. These calls for an interdisciplinary science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education include broadening the canvas and focus to encompass computing and the computational sciences. Computing and computational thinking have received considerable attention because they are instrumental in solving the problems of the 21st century (Wing 2006), both known and unknown. Computing-based algorithms will be the drivers of healthcare, national security, and financial markets (Luckin 2018). As the student Gabriella noted in the opening quote, coding (and computational thinking) has potential uses in subjects not yet imagined—subjects both in the traditional school sense of the word, as well as personal and civic uses.more » « less
-
Gibson, D. C.; Ochoa, M. N.; Christensen, R.; Cohen, J.; Crawford, D.; Graziano, K.; Langran, E.; Langub, L.; Rutledge, D.; Voogt, J. (Ed.)As computer science education standards are disseminated to K-12 school districts nationally, teacher education programs are left with the challenge of ensuring pre-service teachers are prepared to enter their first classroom with the skills and knowledge necessary to align instruction with the new standards. This paper examines the use of a learning intervention called “Block-Based Coding and Computational Thinking for Conceptual Mathematics” (B2C3Math) that aimed to help pre-service teachers majoring in early childhood and elementary education learn and apply computational thinking concepts to their elementary mathematics teaching. Ten pre-service teachers all at the same stage in their teacher preparation program participated in this convergent mixed-methods study. A focus of the research was placed on how participant’s computational thinking knowledge changed following the implementation of B2C3Math. Findings suggest that there were changes in the participants’ views of computational thinking application to elementary mathematics teaching following the implementation of B2C3Math. Implications for research and instructional practices using B2C3Math for teacher education are discussed.more » « less
-
There is an ongoing need to integrate computing-related education within existing K-12 curriculum to maintain global competitiveness and security. Our research addresses the challenge of equitable access to concepts from across the computing spectrum - from computing systems to computer science and computational thinking. The research focuses on overcoming the digital divide by enabling K-12 educators to become conduits for computing education, thereby equipping students with essential computational skills and knowledge. Through two National Science Foundation awards, the team used a mixed-methods approach to develop and assess several traditional and non-traditional teacher engagements. These engagements included a week-long professional development program for K-8 educators and librarians, aimed at designing computing lessons for integration into non-CS disciplines, and a six-week research experience for educators, focused on infusing CS and research concepts into classroom environments. Each of these two engagements was repeated for three consecutive years for a total of six engagements. The assessment of these methods involved qualitative analyses of educator feedback, lesson plan evaluations, and quantitative measures of student engagement and learning outcomes. Our collected artifacts includes over 300 teacher-created and led, innovative lessons spanning a broad spectrum of subjects and educational levels. These lessons have directly engaged several thousand students, demonstrating a marked improvement in computational thinking skills across diverse student populations. Moreover, the engagements have resulted in a significant shift towards viewing computational thinking as an integral element of K-12 education, rather than a standalone discipline. This work highlights the process through which educators can become empowered to integrate computing principles across various subjects and also showcases the tangible benefits of such integration. By facilitating the authentic, teacher-led development of computing lessons and their integration into existing curricula, our research underscores the critical role of educators in bridging the digital divide and fostering a comprehensive educational experience that includes topics from across the computing spectrum.more » « less
- Free Publicly Accessible Full Text
-
Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X211057904
