Eva Schmidthaler, Rebecca S. Stäter, M. Cápay, M. Ludwig, Z. Lavicza
Block-based coding is a way to teach Computer Science (CS) concepts and Computational Thinking (CT) skills to K-12 students. Nowadays, there are more and more educational applications (learning apps) to teach programming in STEM subjects, but detailed studies on which and how these can be used successfully in Biology classes are still lacking, because apps and tasks promoting CS and CT concepts in combination with biological teaching content are missing. This mixed-method study aims to close this gap and presents six elaborated exercises of the workshop “Easy Coding in Biology”, employing two task formats (TF), Building Cubes and Drone AR, of the new learning app . The app utilizes block-based coding and an additional augmented reality (AR) function to describe several topics in secondary education, for example in the subject Biology. After presenting the workshop and task design, preliminary results of the successful use of the app and the tasks are presented. The pilot workshop was carried out with 51 participants at a Slovakian grammar school. After the implementation in class, 34 students filled in a questionnaire, consisting of open-ended and closed-ended questions. Qualitative data shows on the one hand AR malfunctions and on the other that participants liked the workshop concept. Quantitative findings indicate that the introduced TF Building Cubes and Drone AR of have the potential to successfully convey CS and CT concepts in Biology. In addition, the tasks encouraged the female participants in particular to work together because they found the tasks/app interesting, motivating, and fun.
{"title":"Easy Coding in Biology: Pilot Workshop Design and Experiences from Block-Based Programming with in Secondary Education","authors":"Eva Schmidthaler, Rebecca S. Stäter, M. Cápay, M. Ludwig, Z. Lavicza","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.619si","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.619si","url":null,"abstract":"Block-based coding is a way to teach Computer Science (CS) concepts and Computational Thinking (CT) skills to K-12 students. Nowadays, there are more and more educational applications (learning apps) to teach programming in STEM subjects, but detailed studies on which and how these can be used successfully in Biology classes are still lacking, because apps and tasks promoting CS and CT concepts in combination with biological teaching content are missing. This mixed-method study aims to close this gap and presents six elaborated exercises of the workshop “Easy Coding in Biology”, employing two task formats (TF), Building Cubes and Drone AR, of the new learning app <colette/>. The app utilizes block-based coding and an additional augmented reality (AR) function to describe several topics in secondary education, for example in the subject Biology. After presenting the workshop and task design, preliminary results of the successful use of the app and the tasks are presented. The pilot workshop was carried out with 51 participants at a Slovakian grammar school. After the implementation in class, 34 students filled in a questionnaire, consisting of open-ended and closed-ended questions. Qualitative data shows on the one hand AR malfunctions and on the other that participants liked the workshop concept. Quantitative findings indicate that the introduced TF Building Cubes and Drone AR of <colette/> have the potential to successfully convey CS and CT concepts in Biology. In addition, the tasks encouraged the female participants in particular to work together because they found the tasks/app interesting, motivating, and fun.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76643289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Teachers’ personal beliefs and understanding about science topics play a vital role in students learning. This is especially relevant for the teaching of climate change which is a scientifically complicated topic that can also be influenced by personal and political views. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen Pakistani chemistry teachers (grades 10 & 12) to understand their knowledge about the science of climate change as well as their beliefs and practices related to the teaching of climate change. We found that teachers believe it is important to teach climate change in schools. They report that they teach climate change with relevant topics and do not face any obstacles doing so. No consensus was found regarding the appropriate grade levels and disciplines in which climate change should be taught. We also found that teachers have insufficient scientific knowledge about climate change (e.g., they think that any change in environment is climate change and climate change is related to pollution and ozone layer depletion). Our results suggest that there is a need to include climate change in in-service refresher courses and preservice teacher training programs, so the teachers have better understanding of the science of climate change. Further, there should be more climate change content in high school chemistry and biology.
{"title":"Pakistani Chemistry Teachers’ Understanding, Beliefs, and Teaching Practice About Climate Change","authors":"Asghar Pervaiz Gill, T. Ellis, C. Henderson","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.618si","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.618si","url":null,"abstract":"Teachers’ personal beliefs and understanding about science topics play a vital role in students learning. This is especially relevant for the teaching of climate change which is a scientifically complicated topic that can also be influenced by personal and political views. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with thirteen Pakistani chemistry teachers (grades 10 & 12) to understand their knowledge about the science of climate change as well as their beliefs and practices related to the teaching of climate change. We found that teachers believe it is important to teach climate change in schools. They report that they teach climate change with relevant topics and do not face any obstacles doing so. No consensus was found regarding the appropriate grade levels and disciplines in which climate change should be taught. We also found that teachers have insufficient scientific knowledge about climate change (e.g., they think that any change in environment is climate change and climate change is related to pollution and ozone layer depletion). Our results suggest that there is a need to include climate change in in-service refresher courses and preservice teacher training programs, so the teachers have better understanding of the science of climate change. Further, there should be more climate change content in high school chemistry and biology.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"73697542","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In the 21st century, computational thinking (CT) has emerged as a fundamental skill. Building on this momentum and recognizing the importance of exploring the use of computational thinking (CT) concepts and tools in teaching and learning, this study conducted a qualitative content analysis to investigate online resources for school and community outreach practices related to integrating CT and coding into mathematics education. The data set was selected from sample websites hosting a community of practice and interpreted through Kafai et al.’s (2020) framings of CT and a combination of three theories of learning and teaching (i.e., constructionism, social constructivism, and critical literacy). The study found that in mathematics, more attention is given to the cognitive approach of CT, which focuses on acquiring CT skills and concepts, rather than the situated approach that emphasizes participation during learning. Additionally, there is not enough emphasis on the critical framing of CT, which examines how learning reflects values and power structures. The study’s significance is grounded in enhancing the perspectives of researchers, educators, and policymakers by providing insights into the wide affordances of CT which meet and exceed the expectations of curriculum content and skills. In light of the recent attention paid to adding coding to the new mathematics curriculum, this study contributes to the literature, practice, and curriculum development on the integration of CT into school mathematics and serves as a basis for future research in the field.
{"title":"School and Community Practices of Computational Thinking in Mathematics Education through Diverse Perspectives","authors":"H. Sezer, I. Namukasa","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.617si","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.617si","url":null,"abstract":"In the 21st century, computational thinking (CT) has emerged as a fundamental skill. Building on this momentum and recognizing the importance of exploring the use of computational thinking (CT) concepts and tools in teaching and learning, this study conducted a qualitative content analysis to investigate online resources for school and community outreach practices related to integrating CT and coding into mathematics education. The data set was selected from sample websites hosting a community of practice and interpreted through Kafai et al.’s (2020) framings of CT and a combination of three theories of learning and teaching (i.e., constructionism, social constructivism, and critical literacy). The study found that in mathematics, more attention is given to the cognitive approach of CT, which focuses on acquiring CT skills and concepts, rather than the situated approach that emphasizes participation during learning. Additionally, there is not enough emphasis on the critical framing of CT, which examines how learning reflects values and power structures. The study’s significance is grounded in enhancing the perspectives of researchers, educators, and policymakers by providing insights into the wide affordances of CT which meet and exceed the expectations of curriculum content and skills. In light of the recent attention paid to adding coding to the new mathematics curriculum, this study contributes to the literature, practice, and curriculum development on the integration of CT into school mathematics and serves as a basis for future research in the field.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84548976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2023-06-11DOI: 10.1080/18117295.2023.2216608
Anthony A Essien, C. Mathews, Herman Tshesane, Maria Weitz, Lawan Abdulhamid, Tasmiyah Hoosen, Lincoln Lavans
{"title":"Developing design principles to enhance pre-service teachers’ understanding of number structure and mathematical equivalence in early grade mathematics","authors":"Anthony A Essien, C. Mathews, Herman Tshesane, Maria Weitz, Lawan Abdulhamid, Tasmiyah Hoosen, Lincoln Lavans","doi":"10.1080/18117295.2023.2216608","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/18117295.2023.2216608","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88280727","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rosida Rakhmawati Muhammad, D. Lawson, Farzana Aslam, M. Crawford
The Indonesian Government introduced the 2013 Curriculum as an attempt to improve education within Indonesia. International comparisons showed that mathematics was a subject in which there was much room for improvement. As it is now ten years since the introduction of the new curriculum, it is time to review its implementation. A key element of the 2013 curriculum is using the Scientific Approach (observing, asking, exploring, associating, and communicating) as the fundamental pedagogy with a general emphasis on active learning. This study explores the extent to which this has been implemented within the classroom by utilizing various data sources, including student focus group discussions, classroom observations, documentation reviews and teacher interviews. This produced a multi-dimensional data set which reveals that ten years on from its introduction, the implementation of the Scientific approach in mathematics is, at best, inconsistent. In practice, there is still a great reliance on teacher-centered pedagogies, although lesson plans indicate an intent to promote more active learning. Students tend to remain passive and individual learners, although they express a strong desire to work together. Teachers report difficulties in finding appropriate learning media to facilitate active learning pedagogies and school infrastructures are often a hindrance to the use of the Scientific Approach.
{"title":"Indonesian Curriculum 2013 Ten Years On: Impact on Mathematics Teaching","authors":"Rosida Rakhmawati Muhammad, D. Lawson, Farzana Aslam, M. Crawford","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.616si","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.616si","url":null,"abstract":"The Indonesian Government introduced the 2013 Curriculum as an attempt to improve education within Indonesia. International comparisons showed that mathematics was a subject in which there was much room for improvement. As it is now ten years since the introduction of the new curriculum, it is time to review its implementation. A key element of the 2013 curriculum is using the Scientific Approach (observing, asking, exploring, associating, and communicating) as the fundamental pedagogy with a general emphasis on active learning. This study explores the extent to which this has been implemented within the classroom by utilizing various data sources, including student focus group discussions, classroom observations, documentation reviews and teacher interviews. This produced a multi-dimensional data set which reveals that ten years on from its introduction, the implementation of the Scientific approach in mathematics is, at best, inconsistent. In practice, there is still a great reliance on teacher-centered pedagogies, although lesson plans indicate an intent to promote more active learning. Students tend to remain passive and individual learners, although they express a strong desire to work together. Teachers report difficulties in finding appropriate learning media to facilitate active learning pedagogies and school infrastructures are often a hindrance to the use of the Scientific Approach.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77553639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This text focuses on the development of number sense, specifically addressing the challenges associated with understanding the number system, including the connections to and difficulties in early arithmetic learning. It provides a synthesis of the scientific literature related to this development. It concludes by proposing a hypothesis for the development of number sense, associated with the construction of dynamic and pictorial mental representations. This continuum proposes five key phases: perception of small quantities, additive thinking, multiplicative thinking and pre-place value, passage to tens and passage to hundreds and understanding place value.
{"title":"Development of number sense and numeration: a continuum hypothesis","authors":"Nathalie Bisaillon","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.615si","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.615si","url":null,"abstract":"This text focuses on the development of number sense, specifically addressing the challenges associated with understanding the number system, including the connections to and difficulties in early arithmetic learning. It provides a synthesis of the scientific literature related to this development. It concludes by proposing a hypothesis for the development of number sense, associated with the construction of dynamic and pictorial mental representations. This continuum proposes five key phases: perception of small quantities, additive thinking, multiplicative thinking and pre-place value, passage to tens and passage to hundreds and understanding place value.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84764504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elizabeth R Goldberg, Taylor Kirkpatrick Darwin, Jesus S. Esquibel, Samanthia Noble, Miranda Mullins Allen, Weverton Ataide Pinheiro
As the emerging field of equity in STEM education continues to grow, debates surrounding how to best serve populations with historically restricted access and successful outcomes within the STEM fields is growing as well. In this article, a group of doctoral students who took a course titled Equity in STEM Education and discusses their takeaways regarding the literature discussed in the course. The topics covered in this article will center around Gutiérrez’s (2007) equity framework of power, identity, access, and achievement. Through the lens of the equity framework, the dimension of power will be used to present discourse on the sociopolitical turn in STEM education. Identity will be used to explore debates on race, poverty, gender, and sexuality within STEM equity and education. Access will be used to examine discussions on students’ ability to achieve STEM equity in rural settings and within specific domains such as computer science. Finally, achievement will be used to explore arguments on both sides of the achievement gap research. To conclude, we urge researchers, educators, and policymakers to listen and act upon the work of contemporary scholars in order to achieve an equitable STEM education system.
{"title":"Contemporary Debates on Equity in STEM Education: Takeaways From a Doctoral Seminar in Equity in STEM Education","authors":"Elizabeth R Goldberg, Taylor Kirkpatrick Darwin, Jesus S. Esquibel, Samanthia Noble, Miranda Mullins Allen, Weverton Ataide Pinheiro","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.214si","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.214si","url":null,"abstract":"As the emerging field of equity in STEM education continues to grow, debates surrounding how to best serve populations with historically restricted access and successful outcomes within the STEM fields is growing as well. In this article, a group of doctoral students who took a course titled Equity in STEM Education and discusses their takeaways regarding the literature discussed in the course. The topics covered in this article will center around Gutiérrez’s (2007) equity framework of power, identity, access, and achievement. Through the lens of the equity framework, the dimension of power will be used to present discourse on the sociopolitical turn in STEM education. Identity will be used to explore debates on race, poverty, gender, and sexuality within STEM equity and education. Access will be used to examine discussions on students’ ability to achieve STEM equity in rural settings and within specific domains such as computer science. Finally, achievement will be used to explore arguments on both sides of the achievement gap research. To conclude, we urge researchers, educators, and policymakers to listen and act upon the work of contemporary scholars in order to achieve an equitable STEM education system.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83040687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this study, we explore how to teach mathematics, science and coding through digital tools, design projects, and global competencies. We explore the question: How do upper elementary school children develop an understanding of mathematics and science coupled with coding through digital design? The theoretical framework adopted for this study is Kafai and Burke’s (2014) definition of Computational Participation: a shift from code to actual applications; a shift from tools to communities; a shift from starting from scratch to remixing; and a shift from screens to tangibles. We conducted a qualitative case study interlinked with Design-Based Research. Both STEAM camps were an outreach program for students in grades 4-8 in Ontario, Canada. The two camps were designed and facilitated by a research team from the Faculty of Education. The research team developed the curriculum through an iterative process (design-test-revise-repeat). There were 43 students registered in the STEAM camps, and 34 of them participated in the study. We collected observation, interviews, audio/video recordings, and survey data as well as pictures of the students’ work. Our main findings were that students were provided with opportunities to: 1) develop a deeper understanding of curricular concepts; 2) engage more with the digital tools when they were remixing, improving, and reimaging the design; and 3) apply their knowledge to global competencies. The findings of this research have implications for improvements in researching, designing, and implementing design projects as part of a pedagogical approach to teaching mathematics and science, coupled with coding, in an interdisciplinary context.
{"title":"STEAM Camp: Teaching Middle School Students Mathematics, Science and Coding through Digital Designs","authors":"M. Bertrand, I. Namukasa, Li Li","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.213si","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.213si","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we explore how to teach mathematics, science and coding through digital tools, design projects, and global competencies. We explore the question: How do upper elementary school children develop an understanding of mathematics and science coupled with coding through digital design? The theoretical framework adopted for this study is Kafai and Burke’s (2014) definition of Computational Participation: a shift from code to actual applications; a shift from tools to communities; a shift from starting from scratch to remixing; and a shift from screens to tangibles. We conducted a qualitative case study interlinked with Design-Based Research. Both STEAM camps were an outreach program for students in grades 4-8 in Ontario, Canada. The two camps were designed and facilitated by a research team from the Faculty of Education. The research team developed the curriculum through an iterative process (design-test-revise-repeat). There were 43 students registered in the STEAM camps, and 34 of them participated in the study. We collected observation, interviews, audio/video recordings, and survey data as well as pictures of the students’ work. Our main findings were that students were provided with opportunities to: 1) develop a deeper understanding of curricular concepts; 2) engage more with the digital tools when they were remixing, improving, and reimaging the design; and 3) apply their knowledge to global competencies. The findings of this research have implications for improvements in researching, designing, and implementing design projects as part of a pedagogical approach to teaching mathematics and science, coupled with coding, in an interdisciplinary context.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"75863270","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Education policy is currently calling for wholistic reform towards the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). However, much of the calls lack practical advice or application to aid classroom and teaching professionals in this venture. Of particular interest should be how properties, such as barriers, of the individual disciplines may change in an integrated form. One such barrier that should be considered is that of anxiety. This review develops a novel framework for STEM anxiety in the educational context. This is accomplished through a review of anxiety literature within the individual disciplines, with reference to related psychological constructs. Literature was reviewed for definitions of anxiety within the disciplines, ways that disciplinary anxiety has been measured, and what antecedents were identified. Antecedents were taken from those that were explicitly identified, as well as those that were inferentially indicated in the definitions or the measurement instruments. The antecedents, or contributors, to the individual disciplinary anxieties were cross-referenced to generate a single list of potential antecedents that may impact learning within the integrated STEM space.
{"title":"Conceptions of Disciplinary Anxiety across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Contexts: A Critical and Theoretical Synthesis","authors":"Z. Grimes, Grant E. Gardner","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.212si","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.212si","url":null,"abstract":"Education policy is currently calling for wholistic reform towards the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). However, much of the calls lack practical advice or application to aid classroom and teaching professionals in this venture. Of particular interest should be how properties, such as barriers, of the individual disciplines may change in an integrated form. One such barrier that should be considered is that of anxiety. This review develops a novel framework for STEM anxiety in the educational context. This is accomplished through a review of anxiety literature within the individual disciplines, with reference to related psychological constructs. Literature was reviewed for definitions of anxiety within the disciplines, ways that disciplinary anxiety has been measured, and what antecedents were identified. Antecedents were taken from those that were explicitly identified, as well as those that were inferentially indicated in the definitions or the measurement instruments. The antecedents, or contributors, to the individual disciplinary anxieties were cross-referenced to generate a single list of potential antecedents that may impact learning within the integrated STEM space.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83339808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this digital era, technology has entered every aspect of our life, including educational system. Computational thinking (CT) and programming are a relatively recent part of certain school curricula. The idea of CT was originated in 1950s, and the first usage of the term CT was by Papert in 1980; the notion/concept was refreshed by Wing in 2006. CT is the focus of attention for many researchers, such as Gadanidis , Namukasa, Kotsopoulos, Curzon, diSessa, Farris, Sengupta and so on ; they argued that using CT tools, ideas and activities in mathematics pedagogies and curricula contributes to learning in creative and imaginative ways. In this paper, the ways that students interact with their peers during CT and mathematical thinking activities are investigated in the context of an instrumental case study of 10 elementary students. Observational, interview, and reflection data collected during two workshops were analyzed to determine the ways in which the activities impacted students’ interacting and understanding. Students engaged in three CT activities: symmetry app, Scratch program, and Sphero robot. As a result, CT activities allow students to learn mathematical concepts better, when they are working with CT ideas and activities. This study was limited in its sampling as it only focused on primary grades 3 - 6 in a private school. For future studies, the researchers suggest conducting a study that will include public schools and involve tools for teaching mathematics concepts.
{"title":"Computational Thinking Workshop: A New Way to Learn and Teach Mathematics","authors":"Rawia Zuod, I. Namukasa","doi":"10.31756/jrsmte.624","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.31756/jrsmte.624","url":null,"abstract":"In this digital era, technology has entered every aspect of our life, including educational system. Computational thinking (CT) and programming are a relatively recent part of certain school curricula. The idea of CT was originated in 1950s, and the first usage of the term CT was by Papert in 1980; the notion/concept was refreshed by Wing in 2006. CT is the focus of attention for many researchers, such as Gadanidis , Namukasa, Kotsopoulos, Curzon, diSessa, Farris, Sengupta and so on ; they argued that using CT tools, ideas and activities in mathematics pedagogies and curricula contributes to learning in creative and imaginative ways. In this paper, the ways that students interact with their peers during CT and mathematical thinking activities are investigated in the context of an instrumental case study of 10 elementary students. Observational, interview, and reflection data collected during two workshops were analyzed to determine the ways in which the activities impacted students’ interacting and understanding. Students engaged in three CT activities: symmetry app, Scratch program, and Sphero robot. As a result, CT activities allow students to learn mathematical concepts better, when they are working with CT ideas and activities. This study was limited in its sampling as it only focused on primary grades 3 - 6 in a private school. For future studies, the researchers suggest conducting a study that will include public schools and involve tools for teaching mathematics concepts.","PeriodicalId":44353,"journal":{"name":"African Journal of Research in Mathematics Science and Technology Education","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.9,"publicationDate":"2023-05-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84772797","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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