research-article

Infusing computational thinking into middle grade science classrooms: lessons learned

Authors:

Veronica Cateté,

Nicholas Lytle,

Danielle Boulden,

Jennifer Houchins,

Tiffany Barnes,

Kristy BoyerAuthors Info & Claims

WiPSCE '18: Proceedings of the 13th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education

Article No.: 21, Pages 1 - 6

https://doi.org/10.1145/3265757.3265778

Published: 04 October 2018 Publication History

Abstract

There is a growing need to present all students with an opportunity to learn computer science and computational thinking (CT) skills during their primary and secondary education. Traditionally, these opportunities are available outside of the core curriculum as stand-alone courses often taken by those with preparatory privilege. Researchers have identified the need to integrate CT into core classes to provide equitable access to these critical skills. We have worked in a research-practice partnership with two magnet middle schools focused on digital sciences to develop and implement computational thinking into life sciences classes. In this report, we present initial lessons learned while conducting our design-based implementation research on integrating computational thinking into middle school science classes. These case studies suggest that several factors including teacher engagement, teacher attitudes, student prior experience with CS/CT, and curriculum design can all impact student engagement in integrated science-CT lessons.

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Cited By

Thomas MElmore EChavez BRuth RAvery CCukier MCateté VMonga MLonati VBarendsen ESheard JPaterson J(2024)Equitable Access to Cybersecurity Education: A Case Study of Underserved Middle School StudentsProceedings of the 2024 on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3649217.3653581(625-632)Online publication date: 3-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649217.3653581
Farris AMcLaughlin G(2024)Getting a grip on how we talk about computational practices in science in settings of teacher learningJournal of Computer Assisted Learning10.1111/jcal.1297640:4(1922-1940)Online publication date: 2-May-2024
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12976
Villavicencio AMartin WFancsali CIsrael M(2024)Examining two different models for developing teachers new to computer science: lessons from a CS4All districtJournal of Research on Technology in Education10.1080/15391523.2024.2410183(1-22)Online publication date: 24-Oct-2024
https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2024.2410183
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Infusing computational thinking into middle grade science classrooms: lessons learned
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computational thinking
      2. K-12 education

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cover image ACM Other conferences

WiPSCE '18: Proceedings of the 13th Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education

October 2018

170 pages

ISBN:9781450365888

DOI:10.1145/3265757

Program Chairs:
Andreas Mühling
Kiel University
,
Quintin Cutts
University of Glasgow

Copyright © 2018 ACM.

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Published: 04 October 2018

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WiPSCE '18

WiPSCE '18: Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education

October 4 - 6, 2018

Potsdam, Germany

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WiPSCE '18 Paper Acceptance Rate 32 of 72 submissions, 44%;

Overall Acceptance Rate 104 of 279 submissions, 37%

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Cited By

Thomas MElmore EChavez BRuth RAvery CCukier MCateté VMonga MLonati VBarendsen ESheard JPaterson J(2024)Equitable Access to Cybersecurity Education: A Case Study of Underserved Middle School StudentsProceedings of the 2024 on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3649217.3653581(625-632)Online publication date: 3-Jul-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649217.3653581
Farris AMcLaughlin G(2024)Getting a grip on how we talk about computational practices in science in settings of teacher learningJournal of Computer Assisted Learning10.1111/jcal.1297640:4(1922-1940)Online publication date: 2-May-2024
https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12976
Villavicencio AMartin WFancsali CIsrael M(2024)Examining two different models for developing teachers new to computer science: lessons from a CS4All districtJournal of Research on Technology in Education10.1080/15391523.2024.2410183(1-22)Online publication date: 24-Oct-2024
https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2024.2410183
Akram BJiang S(2023)Investigation of Students’ Learning, Interest, and Career Aspirations in an Integrated Science and Artificial Intelligence Learning Environment (i-SAIL)Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research - Volume 210.1145/3568812.3603488(33-34)Online publication date: 7-Aug-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3568812.3603488
Limke ALytle NMahmoud SLin MHill MCateté VBarnes T(2023)Participatory Design with Teachers for Block-Based Learning with SnapClass2023 IEEE Symposium on Visual Languages and Human-Centric Computing (VL/HCC)10.1109/VL-HCC57772.2023.00028(173-178)Online publication date: 3-Oct-2023
https://doi.org/10.1109/VL-HCC57772.2023.00028
Krause GVanderberg ME. Hung ESkuratowicz E(2023)Computational thinking in a bilingual kindergarten classroom: Emergent ideas for teaching across content areasEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-022-11454-128:8(9767-9782)Online publication date: 18-Jan-2023
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11454-1
Kite VPark S(2023)Context matters: Secondary science teachers' integration of process‐based, unplugged computational thinking into science curriculumJournal of Research in Science Teaching10.1002/tea.2188361:1(203-227)Online publication date: 17-Jun-2023
https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21883
Isvik ALytle NCatete VBarnes T(2022)Characterizing High School Participants’ Motivations and Outcomes in a Service-Oriented Summer InternshipProceedings of the 22nd Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research10.1145/3564721.3564734(1-12)Online publication date: 17-Nov-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3564721.3564734
Jiang SQian YTang HYalcinkaya RRosé CChao JFinzer W(2022)Examining computational thinking processes in modeling unstructured dataEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-022-11355-328:4(4309-4333)Online publication date: 14-Oct-2022
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11355-3
Bouck ESands PLong HYadav A(2021)Preparing Special Education Preservice Teachers to Teach Computational Thinking and Computer Science in MathematicsTeacher Education and Special Education: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children10.1177/088840642199237644:3(221-238)Online publication date: 25-Feb-2021
https://doi.org/10.1177/0888406421992376
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