More Like this

1. Developing pre-service elementary teacher’s computational thinking knowledge through coding and mathematics pedagogy

   Gleasman, Cory; Kim, ChanMin (January 2020, Research highlights in technology and teacher education 2020)

   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
2. WORKING TOWARD A MATHEMATICS LITERACY THAT ENGAGES CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION AND A MATHEMATICAL IDENTITY

   Shaw, A; Lawler, B; Crombie, W; McKlin, T; Brown, T; Richards, T (July 2024, The 15th International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME-15))

   This paper aims to introduce a new paradigm for mathematics literacy. By integrating computational thinking and coding into curricular units from The Algebra Project, we engaged middle school students in creativity, imagination, and self-expression in the mathematics classroom. We refined instruments to measure the development of student voice, agency, and belongingness. In the context of the mathematics classroom, there is potential for an earned insurgency to arise when these attributes of mathematical identity are amplified, leading students to engage in a learning community that rejects the repressive logic of the current racialized, classed, and otherwise oppressive mathematics education 

   more » « less
3. Computational Thinking Integration into Middle Grades Science Classrooms: Strategies for Meeting the Challenges

   Boulden, D.C.; Wiebe, E.; Akram, B.; Aksit, O.; Buffum, P.S.; Mott, B.; Boyer, K.E.; Lester, J. (January 2018, Middle grades review)

   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. 

   more » « less
4. Experience with Integrating Computer Science in Middle School Mathematics

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3502718.3524787  

   Ashley Gannon, Mohsen Gavahi (July 2022, Proceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education Vol 1 (ITiCSE 2022))

   The Florida State University (FSU) Computer Science Integrated with Mathematics in Middle Schools (CSIMMS) project explores the feasibility and effectiveness of integrating Computer Science (CS) into middle school general mathematics courses. Through Design Based Research, we developed and tested 13 teaching modules that integrate CS concepts into general middle school mathematics courses, grades 6, 7, and 8, beginning in 2017. In this paper, we discuss our experience with integrating computer science into middle school mathematics and report our preliminary findings. 

   more » « less
5. Weathering the virtual storm: Using computational thinking to make a forecast. Massicotte, J., Staudt, C., & McIntyre, C. (2021). Weathering the virtual storm: Using computational thinking to make a forecast. Science Scope. 44(5): 18–27.

   Massicotte, J. (January 2021, DN science scope)

   null (Ed.)

   The Concord Consortium and our partners have developed a free seven-lesson middle school curriculum unit as part of our Precipitating Change project (Staudt, Moher, and Massicotte 2019). Students actively employ computational thinking skills and science and mathematics understanding as they collect and analyze data, run and refine weather models, and make and evaluate predictions while doing tasks similar to those of a professional meteorologist. 

   more » « less