Integration of computational thinking into English language arts

Jacob, Sharin; Parker, Miranda C.; Warschauer, Mark

doi:10.1145/3507951.3519288

Cited by 8 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…As this study represents the exploratory phase of a larger attempt to evaluate, and scale the curriculum, we will use findings from this study to make iterative refinements to the Elementary Computing for All curriculum so that it becomes more accessible for underrepresented students, including women. For more information on the Elementary Computing for All curriculum, see Jacob et al (2018).…”

Section: Overview Of the Cs Curriculummentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing Boys’ and Girls’ Attitudes Toward Computer Science

Scott¹,

Zou²,

Jacob³

et al. 2023

JCSI

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Women are severely underrepresented in computer science (CS) degrees and careers. While student interest is a key predictor of success, little is known about how elementary students from underserved groups, such as girls, develop their interest in CS. To address this issue, we examined the differences in attitudes between upper elementary girls and boys towards CS after participating in a yearlong, inquiry-based CS curriculum designed for diverse learners. Pre-and-post surveys on students’ attitudes towards CS (n = 108) were delivered before and after student participation in the curriculum. Results from the survey showed only two demonstrated significant differences between boys and girls, favoring girls talking more with friends and family about CS and boys believing that computer scientists make a difference in the world. Even for these two items, the differences were of marginal significance and that significance would not survive correction for multiple comparisons. Follow-up, semi-structured interviews with 18 students painted a different picture. Girls displayed decreased interest in CS compared to boys with regard to self-efficacy and overall identification with the discipline. These differences highlight the importance of early intervention programs in leveraging the strengths and interests of participating girls. Based on our findings, we provide recommendations for CS educators and curriculum designers on better engaging girls in the discipline.

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Section: Overview Of the Cs Curriculummentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing Boys’ and Girls’ Attitudes Toward Computer Science

Scott¹,

Zou²,

Jacob³

et al. 2023

JCSI

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Third, computational models afford opportunities for purposeful interactions among human and technological participants (e.g., students collaborate with their peers around a shared model to make sense of a phenomenon). However, despite these potential affordances of computational models for MLs in science instruction, research with this student population is only beginning to emerge (Jacob et al, 2018; NASEM, 2021; Pierson et al, 2021; Vogel et al, 2020). This is consistent with a broader trend in the research literature that “few studies of scientific modeling focus on equity impacts” (Schwarz et al, 2022, p. 4).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multilingual learners' epistemologies in practice in the context of computational modeling in an elementary science classroom

et al. 2023

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The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) have spurred renewed interest in the epistemologies that students adopt as they engage in science practices. One framework for characterizing students' epistemologies is the epistemologies in practice framework (Berland et al. (2016), Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 53(7), 1082–1112), which focuses on students' meaningful use of four epistemic considerations: Nature, Generality, Justification, and Audience. To date, research based on the framework has primarily examined students' use of the epistemic considerations in the context of diagrammatic modeling. However, with computational technologies becoming more prevalent in science classrooms, the framework could be applied to investigate students' engagement in computational modeling. Moreover, computational modeling could be particularly beneficial to a fast‐growing population of multilingual learners (MLs) in the U.S. K‐12 context, who benefit from leveraging multiple meaning‐making resources (e.g., code, dynamic visualization). This study examined MLs' meaningful use of four epistemic considerations in the context of computational modeling in an elementary science classroom. Fifth‐grade MLs (N = 11) participated in two interviews about computational models they had developed as part of two NGSS‐designed instructional units that integrated computational modeling (in addition to other model types). Findings indicated that, while students used all four epistemic considerations across the interviews, some considerations (Nature and Generality) were used more frequently than others (Justification and Audience). Beyond diagrammatic modeling, computational modeling offered unique affordances for MLs to meaningfully use the considerations as well as to communicate this use, though not without some emergent challenges. Overall, this study highlights the promise of computational modeling for providing a rich sense‐making and meaning‐making context for MLs to use epistemic considerations. The study also highlights the importance of attending to both epistemic and linguistic aspects of MLs' science learning as well as the potential of interdisciplinary research for studying this learning.

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“…This framework takes an asset-based approach to understanding how diverse learners leverage their linguistic resources to develop their CT skills and vice versa. Findings from classroom observations indicated that classroom teachers leveraged Latine and multilingual students' knowledge of narrative genres to teach key computational thinking concepts and practices such as sequence, abstraction and modularization, and experimentation and iteration (Jacob, Parker, & Warschauer, 2022). In leveraging these students' existing literacy resources, teachers made multiple points of connection between students' funds of knowledge and lesson content.…”

Section: Linguistically Responsive Computingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Asset-based Approaches to Multilingual Students’ Computer Science Identity Development

Jacob,

Warschauer

2023

JCSI

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While computer science identity development has been examined in several studies, there is much to learn about the development of multilingual students’ computer science (CS) identities. To develop strong CS identities, multilingual students must engage in culturally and linguistically sustaining curriculum, pedagogy, and interaction that draws from their rich and varied resources. This theoretical paper is grounded in a justice-centered, asset-based framework that views the traditions and practices in students’ cultures and communities as strong contributors to knowledge construction in STEM. We draw on multiple studies exploring multilingual student CS identity development to better understand how their personal, familial, community-based, and intersectional experiences can be leveraged to promote equitable CS participation. Based on a synthesis of these studies, we find that educators should engage in the following practices: 1) leveraging multilingual students’ multiple meaning-making resources, 2) connecting classroom learning to informal learning spaces, 3) providing broader contexts for disciplinary practices, 4) offering multiple opportunities for self-expression, and 5) drawing on multilingual students’ strong intersectional identities. Through these practices, we discuss how researchers, practitioners, and policymakers can strengthen multilingual students’ disciplinary identification and overall persistence in CS.

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Integration of computational thinking into English language arts

Cited by 8 publications

References 22 publications

Comparing Boys’ and Girls’ Attitudes Toward Computer Science

Comparing Boys’ and Girls’ Attitudes Toward Computer Science

Multilingual learners' epistemologies in practice in the context of computational modeling in an elementary science classroom

Asset-based Approaches to Multilingual Students’ Computer Science Identity Development

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Integration of computational thinking into English language arts

Cited by 8 publications

References 22 publications

Comparing Boys&rsquo; and Girls&rsquo; Attitudes Toward Computer Science

Comparing Boys&rsquo; and Girls&rsquo; Attitudes Toward Computer Science

Multilingual learners' epistemologies in practice in the context of computational modeling in an elementary science classroom

Asset-based Approaches to Multilingual Students’ Computer Science Identity Development

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About

Comparing Boys’ and Girls’ Attitudes Toward Computer Science

Comparing Boys’ and Girls’ Attitudes Toward Computer Science