scholarly journals Developing preservice teachers' understanding of computational thinking: A constructionist approach

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deirdre Butler ◽  
Margaret Leahy
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Constructionist Approach

Preparing Special Education Preservice Teachers to Teach Computational Thinking and Computer Science in Mathematics

2021 ◽  
pp. 088840642199237
Author(s):  
Emily C. Bouck ◽  
Phil Sands ◽  
Holly Long ◽  
Aman Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Lesson Plans ◽  
Methods Course ◽  
Mathematics Methods ◽  
K 12

Increasingly in K–12 schools, students are gaining access to computational thinking (CT) and computer science (CS). This access, however, is not always extended to students with disabilities. One way to increase CT and CS (CT/CS) exposure for students with disabilities is through preparing special education teachers to do so. In this study, researchers explore exposing special education preservice teachers to the ideas of CT/CS in the context of a mathematics methods course for students with disabilities or those at risk of disability. Through analyzing lesson plans and reflections from 31 preservice special education teachers, the researchers learned that overall emerging promise exists with regard to the limited exposure of preservice special education teachers to CT/CS in mathematics. Specifically, preservice teachers demonstrated the ability to include CT/CS in math lesson plans and showed understanding of how CT/CS might enhance instruction with students with disabilities via reflections on these lessons. The researchers, however, also found a need for increased experiences and opportunities for preservice special education teachers with CT/CS to more positively impact access for students with disabilities.

scholarly journals Making ‘Math Making’ Virtual

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 30
Author(s):  
Candace Figg ◽  
Anjali Khirwadkar ◽  
Shannon Welbourn
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Learning Environment ◽  
Learning Environments ◽  
Mathematics Learning ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Teacher Preparation Programs ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
University Professors ◽  
Positive Attitudes ◽  
Hands On

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, university professors are challenged to re-envision mathematics learning environments for virtual delivery. Those of us teaching in elementary teacher preparation programs are exploring different learning environments that not only promote meaningful learning but also foster positive attitudes about mathematics teaching. One learning environment that has been shown to be effective for introducing preservice teachers to the creative side of mathematics—the mathematics makerspace—promotes computational thinking and pedagogical understandings about teaching mathematics, but the collaborative, hands-on nature of such a learning environment is difficult to simulate in virtual delivery. This article describes the research-based design decisions for the re-envisioned virtual mathematics makerspace.

Enhancing Preservice Teachers' Confidence and Efficacy in Computer Science

2020 ◽  
pp. 145-163
Author(s):  
Yune Tran
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Digital Literacy ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Multiple Exposures ◽  
Post Test ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Content Support

The growing demand for digital literacy, computer science (CS), and computational thinking (CT) has taken traction in U.S. schools. The emphasis on teaching these skills in the classroom demands teachers who are prepared to teach such content and skills. However, there has been limited research on preservice teacher self-efficacy for teaching CS to elementary-aged students even though a body of research related to teacher efficacy has supported positive changes in student learning. The purpose of the mixed-method research was to examine over 30 preservice teachers' self-efficacy in teaching CS lessons to elementary-aged students. Findings included improved efficacy, confidence, and positive perceptions about teaching CS from pre-to post-test surveys, focus-group interviews, and written reflections. Three prominent topics emerged from qualitative data and consisted of: (1) lack of familiarity of concepts caused nervousness; (2) peer and content support to ease implementation; (3) developing enthusiasm of the content through multiple exposures.

scholarly journals Lessons in persistence: Investigating the challenges faced by preservice teachers in teaching coding and computational thinking in an unfamiliar context

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Venesh Chandra ◽  
◽  
Margaret Lloyd ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Preservice Teacher ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Teaching Experience ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Best Offer ◽  
The Impact

An ongoing problem for teacher education institutions is bridging the gap between theory and practice and offering authentic experiences to challenge preservice teachers’ pedagogical decision-making. Preservice practicums simulate teaching and can, at best, offer controlled experiences in familiar settings. This restricts the opportunities for preservice teachers to develop confidence in their own pedagogical decision-making and to adapt curriculum to meet unknown or unforeseen conditions. This paper describes, through a small-scale qualitative case study, a teaching experience in an unfamiliar setting, the persistent actions taken to respond to a specific context and the impact this had on preservice teacher knowledge and self-efficacy. The study found that preservice teacher self-efficacy can be scaffolded in real-world contexts provided sufficient planning, peer support and mentoring is available.

scholarly journals Developing WebQuest 2.0 model for promoting computational thinking skill

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2.29) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Le Diem Bui ◽  
Yong Gi Kim ◽  
Won Ho ◽  
Ho Thi Thu Ho ◽  
Nguyen Khang Pham
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Web Service ◽  
Programming Language ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Massachusetts Institute Of Technology ◽  
Depth Of Knowledge ◽  
Block Based ◽  
Institute Of Technology

In this paper, we propose a new WebQuest model using Web 2.0 services to organize online learning activities by using OKMindmap for building WebQuest and suggest Scratch projects created by students for outcome. WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. WebQuests can be a valuable addition to a collaborative classroom. One of the goals is to increase critical thinking by employing higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy and Webb’s Depth of Knowledge. WebQuests can be a versatile tool for teaching students. OKMindmap is a useful, free, easy to use knowledge manipulation tool for content creation and management. It helps building an innovative collaborating environment for online class and provides a way to embed web service as a node. With this capability, any web service can be embedded as a node on a single map. Moreover, many users (about 40) can work on a same map together. Scratch is a free educational programming language that was developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with over 21 million registered users and 25 million shared projects. Scratch is designed to be fun, educational, and easy to learn. It’s a programming language for all with the tools for creating interactive stories, games, art, simulations, and more, using block-based programming. Facebook is also used as a tool for connecting and sharing WebQuest with students. This model was experimented at the School of Education at Can Tho University, which brought us positive results through blended learning. Our desire is to build a WebQuest library in a simple, cost-effective way through this STEM-style education so that inservice and preservice teachers can share together for the best professional development during the current industrial revolution 4.0.  

scholarly journals ENSINO DE PROGRAMAÇÃO PARA CRIANÇAS E O DESENVOLVIMENTO DO PENSAMENTO COMPUTACIONAL: ALGUMAS REFLEXÕES

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-113
Author(s):  
Aletheia Machado de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Meaningful Learning ◽  
Implementation Strategies ◽  
Communication Technologies ◽  
Digital Information ◽  
Second Moment ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Constructionist Approach

One of the great challenges faced by education is to reflect on the effective uses of digital information and communication technologies, in order to provide students with contextualized and meaningful learning. Therefore, the objective of the article is to reflect on the effective uses of digital information and communication technologies in education in these technological times, to achieve other ways of providing education. The teaching of programming can generate stimuli for the development of computational thinking, allowing the child to become a builder of digital artifacts. We emphasize, therefore, that our study is theoretical and reflective, consisting of bibliographical research, with contributions from Castells (1999), Coll and Monereo (2010), Papert (1994), Selwyn (2017), among other scholars. We present, at first, an explanation about the constructionist approach and education, based on the studies of its creator Seymour Papert. In a second moment, we reflect on teaching programming to children to then contextualize the computational thinking and implementation strategies adopted. From this study, we glimpse a horizon of possibilities for the necessary paradigm shift in education.

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