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1. Developing Math Knowledge and Computational Thinking Through Game Play and Design: A Professional Development Program.

   Smith, H. (October 2020, Contemporary issues in technology and teacher education)

   null (Ed.)

   The Game Play and Design Framework is a project-based instructional method to engage teachers and students with mathematics content by utilizing technology as a vehicle for game play and creation. In the authors’ prior work, they created a technology tool and game editing platform, the Wearable Learning Cloud Platform (WLCP), which enables teachers and students to play, create, and experience technology-augmented learning activities. This paper describes a 14-week Game Play and Design professional development program in which middle school teachers played, designed, tested, and implemented mathematics games in the classroom with their own students. Examples are included of teacher-created games, feedback from the students’ experience designing games, and evidence of student learning gains from playing teacher-created games. This work provides a pedagogical approach for educators and students that utilizes the benefits of mobile technologies and collaborative learning through games to develop students’ higher-level thinking in STEM classrooms. 

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2. Developing mathematics knowledge and computational thinking through game play and design: A professional development program.

   Smith, H. (October 2020, Contemporary issues in technology and teacher education)

   null (Ed.)

   The Game Play and Design Framework is a project-based instructional method to engage teachers and students with mathematics content by utilizing technology as a vehicle for game play and creation. In the authors’ prior work, they created a technology tool and game editing platform, the Wearable Learning Cloud Platform (WLCP), which enables teachers and students to play, create, and experience technology-augmented learning activities. This paper describes a 14-week Game Play and Design professional development program in which middle school teachers played, designed, tested, and implemented mathematics games in the classroom with their own students. Examples are included of teacher-created games, feedback from the students’ experience designing games, and evidence of student learning gains from playing teacher-created games. This work provides a pedagogical approach for educators and students that utilizes the benefits of mobile technologies and collaborative learning through games to develop students’ higher-level thinking in STEM classrooms. 

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3. Plan to learn: Improving middle school students' computational thinking through game-based learning

   Pan, Y; Tseng, C; Klinkert, L; Ketterlin-Geller; L; Larson, E; Clark, C (April 2025, American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, US.)

   Game-based learning shows great potential as a tool for enhancing students’ computational thinking abilities. However, these approaches in K-12 settings frequently emphasize the teaching of specific computing concepts and programming skills. This approach often overlooks the broader goal of developing students’ computational thinking competency—a set of skills that can be applied across various subjects and aligns with curriculum standards. To address this need, the current study investigated how game-based learning influenced middle school students’ learning performance. One hundred sixty-nine students participated in the study, playing the game over a period of 4 weeks. We observed evidence that the gaming experience significantly influenced the development of computational thinking competency, self-efficacy toward computational thinking, and interest in STEM career after gameplay. 

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4. Implementation and Evaluation of a Virtual Hackathon in an Urban HSI Community College during COVID-19

   Azhar, Mohammad Q; Haynes, Ada; Day, Marisa; Wissinger, Elizabeth (April 2023, Journal of computing sciences in colleges)

   This paper shares the analysis of our quantitative findings regarding the impact of a virtual informal collaborative experiential learning activity on diverse students' computational thinking, critical thinking, and self-efficacy in STEM activities. Designed as part of an ongoing National Science Foundation sponsored project to provide underrepresented minority (URM) students from underserved economic backgrounds with real-world career preparation and technical education across disciplines through collaborative project activities using cutting-edge technologies, the Hackathon for Social Good was implemented during the COVID-19 shutdowns in a New York City community college in lower Manhattan. Students worked in teams to innovate practical solutions to global problems with mentor support from both academia and the tech industry. This intervention drew 36 students from Computer Science, Business, and Sociology classes, who worked with volunteers and alumni during a full-day event in the Fall of 2021, using AI and data science to design culturally sensitive data-driven solutions for real-world problems. The tracks covered the following topics: Zero Hunger, Clean Water, and Sanitation, Green Consumption, Racial Justice, Quality Education, Good Health, and Well Being. The two main objectives of this project are as follows: (1) Design a remote interdisciplinary one-day experiential collaborative learning environment to engage URM teams of students from a community college in applying computational thinking to develop solutions for social good. (2) Conduct research on our intervention to study its effect on students' self-efficacy, as well as their knowledge of, and comfort with, computational thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving, and STEM. The evidence gathered from qualitative and quantitative data indicates that using these mechanisms to infuse CT into student learning across disciplines has several positive outcomes. Students reported increased leadership skills, comfort with teamwork, problem-solving, and critical thinking. A quantitative study specifically showed a positive impact on student confidence in their ability to do CT and improved their sense of efficacy in impacting the world outside of the hackathon. 

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5. Enhancing middle school students’ computational thinking competency through game-based learning

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-024-10400-x  

   Pan, Yanjun; Adams, Elizabeth_L; Ketterlin-Geller, Leanne_R; Larson, Eric_C; Clark, Corey (July 2024, Educational technology research and development)

   Abstract Computational thinking is acknowledged as an essential competency for everyone to learn. However, teachers find it challenging to implement the existing learning approaches in K-12 settings because the existing approaches often focus on teaching computing concepts and skills (i.e., programming skills) rather than on helping students develop their computational thinking competency—a competency that can be used across disciplinary boundaries in accordance with curriculum requirements. To address this need, the current study investigated how game-based learning influenced middle school students’ learning processes, particularly on the development of computational thinking competency, self-efficacy toward computational thinking, and engagement during gameplay. Additionally, the study examined how these outcomes were moderated by individual differences. We observed evidence that the gaming experience influenced students’ computational thinking self-efficacy, but not computational thinking competency or game-based engagement. Compared to age (grade) and prior gaming experience, gender tended to play a more important role in moderating students’ computational thinking competency, self-efficacy toward computational thinking competency, and game-based engagement. Implications and possible directions for future research regarding using game-based learning to enhance computational thinking competency are discussed. 

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