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Introducing the Computer Science Concept of Variables in Middle School Science Classrooms

Authors:

Philip Sheridan Buffum,

Kimberly Michelle Ying,

Kristy Elizabeth Boyer,

Bradford W. Mott,

David C. Blackburn,

James C. LesterAuthors Info & Claims

SIGCSE '18: Proceedings of the 49th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

Pages 906 - 911

https://doi.org/10.1145/3159450.3159545

Published: 21 February 2018 Publication History

Abstract

The K-12 Computer Science Framework has established that students should be learning about the computer science concept of variables as early as middle school, although the field has not yet determined how this and other related concepts should be introduced. Secondary school computer science curricula such as Exploring CS and AP CS Principles often teach the concept of variables in the context of algebra, which most students have already encountered in their mathematics courses. However, when strategizing how to introduce the concept at the middle school level, we confront the reality that many middle schoolers have not yet learned algebra. With that challenge in mind, this position paper makes a case for introducing the concept of variables in the context of middle school science. In addition to an analysis of existing curricula, the paper includes discussion of a day-long pilot study and the consequent teacher feedback that further supports the approach. The CS For All initiative has increased interest in bringing computer science to middle school classrooms; this paper makes an argument for doing so in a way that can benefit students' learning of both computer science and core science content.

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Cited By

Magda DGardner-McCune CJimenez YChu SKulkarni AStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)The Integration of Computational Thinking and Making in the ClassroomProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630948(778-784)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3626252.3630948
Gannon AGavahi MYuan XWhalley DSoutherland SAndrews-Larson CGranger EBecker BQuille KLaakso MBarendsen ESimon (2022)Experience with Integrating Computer Science in Middle School MathematicsProceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education Vol. 110.1145/3502718.3524787(40-46)Online publication date: 7-Jul-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3502718.3524787
Luo FYan WLiu RIsrael MMerkle LDoyle MSheard JSoh LDorn B(2022)Elementary Students' Understanding of Variables in Computational Thinking-Integrated InstructionProceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education - Volume 110.1145/3478431.3499323(523-529)Online publication date: 22-Feb-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3478431.3499323
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Introducing the Computer Science Concept of Variables in Middle School Science Classrooms
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. K-12 education

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cover image ACM Conferences

SIGCSE '18: Proceedings of the 49th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

February 2018

1174 pages

ISBN:9781450351034

DOI:10.1145/3159450

General Chairs:
Tiffany Barnes
North Carolina State University, USA
,
Daniel Garcia
University of California, Berkeley, USA
,
Program Chairs:
Elizabeth K. Hawthorne
Union County College, USA
,
Manuel A. Pérez-Quiñones
UNC Charlotte, USA

Copyright © 2018 ACM.

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Published: 21 February 2018

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SIGCSE '18: The 49th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

February 21 - 24, 2018

Maryland, Baltimore, USA

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SIGCSE '18 Paper Acceptance Rate 161 of 459 submissions, 35%;

Overall Acceptance Rate 1,595 of 4,542 submissions, 35%

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Cited By

Magda DGardner-McCune CJimenez YChu SKulkarni AStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)The Integration of Computational Thinking and Making in the ClassroomProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630948(778-784)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3626252.3630948
Gannon AGavahi MYuan XWhalley DSoutherland SAndrews-Larson CGranger EBecker BQuille KLaakso MBarendsen ESimon (2022)Experience with Integrating Computer Science in Middle School MathematicsProceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education Vol. 110.1145/3502718.3524787(40-46)Online publication date: 7-Jul-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3502718.3524787
Luo FYan WLiu RIsrael MMerkle LDoyle MSheard JSoh LDorn B(2022)Elementary Students' Understanding of Variables in Computational Thinking-Integrated InstructionProceedings of the 53rd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education - Volume 110.1145/3478431.3499323(523-529)Online publication date: 22-Feb-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3478431.3499323
Kallia Mvan Borkulo SDrijvers PBarendsen ETolboom J(2021)Characterising computational thinking in mathematics education: a literature-informed Delphi studyResearch in Mathematics Education10.1080/14794802.2020.185210423:2(159-187)Online publication date: 28-Jan-2021
https://doi.org/10.1080/14794802.2020.1852104
Nanavati AOwens AStehlik MZhang JSherriff MHeckman SCutter PMonge A(2020)Pythons and Martians and Finches, Oh My! Lessons Learned from a Mandatory 8th Grade Python ClassProceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3328778.3366906(811-817)Online publication date: 26-Feb-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3328778.3366906
Celepkolu MFussell DGaldo ABoyer KWiebe EMott BLester JZhang JSherriff MHeckman SCutter PMonge A(2020)Exploring Middle School Students' Reflections on the Infusion of CS into Science ClassroomsProceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education10.1145/3328778.3366871(671-677)Online publication date: 26-Feb-2020
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3328778.3366871
Rich KFranklin DStrickland CIsaacs AEatinger D(2020)A Learning Trajectory for Variables Based in Computational Thinking Literature: Using Levels of Thinking to Develop InstructionComputer Science Education10.1080/08993408.2020.186693832:2(213-234)Online publication date: 23-Dec-2020
https://doi.org/10.1080/08993408.2020.1866938
Morais IBachrach M(2019)Analyzing the Impact of Computer Science Workshops on Middle School Teachers2019 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (ISEC)10.1109/ISECon.2019.8882115(57-61)Online publication date: Mar-2019
https://doi.org/10.1109/ISECon.2019.8882115

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