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1. Robots in Science: How middle school science teachers design integrated robotics units for their science classes

   Bernstein, Debra; Cassidy, Michael; Mutch-Jones, Karen; Cross, Jennifer L (June 2022, Repository of the International Society of the Learning Sciences)

   Chinn, C; Tan, E; Chan, C; Kali, Y (Ed.)

   Robotics activities can provide students with opportunities to engage in computational thinking (CT) as well as support disciplinary learning goals. The goal of the Robots in Science project is to create, implement, and refine a PD program for middle school science teachers to design and implement robotics and CT-integrated science lessons. Two case studies illustrate how teachers used robotics activities to provide opportunities for science learning. 

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2. Robots in Science: How middle school science teachers design integrated robotics units for their science classes

   Bernstein, Debra; Cassidy, Michael; Mutch-Jones, Karen; Cross, Jennifer L (June 2022, International Society of the Learning Sciences)

   Chinn, C; Tan, E; Chan, C; Kali, Y (Ed.)

   Robotics activities can provide students with opportunities to engage in computational thinking (CT) as well as support disciplinary learning goals. The goal of the Robots in Science project is to create, implement, and refine a PD program for middle school science teachers to design and implement robotics and CT-integrated science lessons. Two case studies illustrate how teachers used robotics activities to provide opportunities for science learning. 

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3. 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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4. Back to Computational Transparency: Co-designing with Teachers to Integrate Computational Thinking in Science Classrooms

   Bain, Connor; Anton, Gabriella; Horn, Michael; Wilensky, Uri (June 2020, International Conference of the Learning Sciences)

   Integrating computational thinking (CT) in the science classroom presents the opportunity to simultaneously broaden participation in computing, enhance science content learning, and engage students in authentic scientific practice. However, there is a lot more to learn on how teachers might integrate CT activities within their existing curricula. In this work, we describe a process of co-design with researchers and teachers to develop CT-infused science curricula. Specifically, we present a case study of one veteran physics teacher whose conception of CT during a professional development institute changed over time. We use this case study to explore how CT is perceived in physics instruction, a field that has a long history of computational learning opportunities. We also discuss how a co-design process led to the development of a lens through which to identify fruitful opportunities to integrate CT activities in physics curricula which we term computational transparency–purposefully revealing the inner workings of computational tools that students already use in the classroom. 

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5. Teacher implementation profiles for integrating computational thinking into elementary mathematics and science instruction.

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-020-10115-5  

   Rich, K. M.; Yadav, A.; Larimore, R. (January 2020, Education and information technologies)

   Incorporating computational thinking (CT) ideas into core subjects, such as mathematics and science, is one way of bringing early computer science (CS) education into elementary school. Minimal research has explored how teachers can translate their knowledge of CT into practice to create opportunities for their students to engage in CT during their math and science lessons. Such information can support the creation of quality professional development experiences for teachers. We analyzed how eight elementary teachers created opportunities for their students to engage in four CT practices (abstraction, decomposition, debugging, and patterns) during unplugged mathematics and science activities. We identified three strategies used by these teachers to create CT opportunities for their students: framing, prompting, and inviting reflection. Further, we grouped teachers into four profiles of implementation according to how they used these three strategies. We call the four profiles (1) presenting CT as general problem-solving strategies, (2) using CT to structure lessons, (3) highlighting CT through prompting, and (4) using CT to guide teacher planning. We discuss the implications of these results for professional development and student experiences. 

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