Computing MATTERS: Towards an International Partnership to Promote Inquiry-Based Science Education Enhanced by Computational Thinking

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The Shodor Education Foundation, Inc. and its National Computational Science Institute (NCSI) in partnership with Noyce Program Scholars and Fellows, is building cultural bridges connecting US and Thailand to promote an international research and training initiative to improve teacher preparation in mathematics and science and in the authentic uses of computational and communication technologies. The introductory (pilot) workshop is exposing teachers in both cultures to computational thinking, modeling and data analysis. Materials for the workshop are drawn from the National Science Digital Library (NSDL), in particular Shodor's extensive Interactivate collection of lessons, discussions, activities, and supporting materials, all aligned with National Council of Teacher of Mathematics (NCTM) and Common Core Standards. Given the initiative in Thailand to give nearly a million tablet computers to students, special focus is given to Shodor's Interactivate materials, and in particular those that have been converted to run on mobile platforms. Lessons learned from this initiative are improving materials in the National Science Digital Library (nsdl.org) and providing practical lessons conveyed by the Noyce participants and NCSI back to their US colleagues. This first collaborative step between US and Thai teachers provides an opportunity for the exchange of ideas and lessons learned in the future. This international project is jointly funded through the Office of International Science and Engineering and the EHR/DUE Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship and Fellowship Program.