Computing in Elementary School: An Exploration of Computational Thinking Approaches and Concepts Across Disciplines

计算机在科学、技术、工程、数学（STEM）学科中的强大创新和应用，增加了学生从小学到高中对现实世界、跨学科和计算准备的需求。这种跨学科的教学必须在理解小学教师及其学生的需求和能力的基础上进行，并在小学课程中适当地根据年级进行整合。这项探索性研究将研究K-5小学教师的现状，以及他们如何让学生参与计算思维，并在他们的STEM内容教学中应用与计算和计算思维相关的概念，从而使实施工作可行。通过更好地理解计算思维概念和方法如何真正融入数学、科学和其他学科，政策制定者和地区领导人将了解如何有意地支持教师和学生发展他们的核心技能，为STEM教学中的计算应用提供坚实的基础。研究结果将包括更好地理解整个K-5课程的计算思维概念和方法，为未来的实施工作提供信息；提高了K-5教师对计算思维定义的认识，使教师更愿意在实践中应用计算；并告知幼教教师的专业发展需要。研究结果将支持基于证据和最佳实践的小学STEM教育中的计算整合。该项目已提交给DRK12-STEM+C DCL(17-149)，并得到STEM+C计划的支持，该计划侧重于研究和开发跨学科和跨学科的方法，以整合科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）教学和学习，为pre -12学生提供正式和非正式环境。STEM+C支持学生如何学习计算思维来解决STEM领域的跨学科问题的研究。通过融合并行混合方法设计，调查数据将与基于设计的实施研究（DBIR）活动产物同时收集，并合并(1)提供计算思维（CT）概念和方法目前如何在小学课堂上得到解决的整体图景；(2)确定计算程序中的新CT概念和方法如何与那些已经应用于科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）的概念和方法相关联。实践者将参与研究过程，并通过一系列价值映射活动帮助引导探索性研究。教师调查数据的多重相关系数(R)和HLM统计分析将解释当前小学课堂中CT概念和方法的出现地点和时间。通过包括来自STEM+C领域的教育工作者和研究人员，以及来自城市、农村和郊区的学校，该项目将探索什么有效，为谁有效。由于该项目关注的是支持和维持系统性变化，该项目的长期可持续性目标将受益于通过NSF当地系统性变化基金开发的基础设施，该基金已在过去20年里成熟。大学与12个当地学区之间的关系以及沟通机制将是项目可持续性的关键因素。这些研究和活动将导致跨学科计算的多媒体模型的传播。该模型将为进一步研究教学计算的发展和实施提供信息，使其成为STEM的一个完整的嵌入式组成部分。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The powerful innovation and application of computing in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) disciplines has increased the need for real-world, interdisciplinary, and computational preparation of students from the early grades through high school. Such interdisciplinary teaching and learning must be developed with the understanding of the needs and capacity of elementary school teachers and their students, and appropriate grade-specific integration in the elementary curriculum. This exploratory research will study the landscape of K-5 elementary teachers and how they engage students in computational thinking, and apply concepts associated with computing and computational thinking in their teaching of STEM content so implementation efforts are viable. By better understanding how computational thinking concepts and approaches integrate authentically into math, science and other subjects, policymakers and district leaders will be informed of how to intentionally support teachers and students to develop their core skills that will provide a strong foundation for computing applications in STEM teaching and learning. Outcomes of the research will include a better understanding of computational thinking concepts and approaches across the K-5 curriculum to inform future implementation efforts; increased awareness of computational thinking definitions for K-5 teachers so teachers are more prepared to apply computing in their practice; and inform the professional development needs of K-5 teachers. Findings will support computational integration in STEM education in elementary school built on evidence and best practices. This project was submitted to the DRK12-STEM+C DCL (17-149) and is supported by the STEM+C Program that focuses on research and development of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to the integration of computing within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teaching and learning for preK-12 students in both formal and informal settings. STEM+C supports research on how students learn to think computationally to solve interdisciplinary problems in the STEM fields.Through a convergent parallel mixed methods design, survey data will be collected concurrently with Design-Based Implementation Research (DBIR) activity artifacts and merged (1) to provide a holistic picture of how computational thinking (CT) concepts and approaches are currently being addressed in elementary classrooms and (2) to identify how new CT concepts and approaches in computing programs relate to those already applied in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Practitioners will engage in the process of research and will help to steer the exploratory study through a series of value mapping activities. Multiple correlation coefficient (R) and HLM statistical analysis of teacher survey data will explain where and when CT concepts and approaches are present in the current elementary classroom. By including educators and researchers from across the STEM+C fields, as well as including schools from urban, rural, and suburban areas, the project will explore what works and for whom. As the project is concerned with supporting and sustaining systemic change, the project's long-term sustainability goals will benefit from the infrastructure developed through an NSF Local Systemic Change grant that has matured over the past 20 years. The relationships between the University and 12 local school districts, as well as mechanisms for communication will be a key factor in the sustainability of the project. The research and activities will result in the dissemination of a multimedia model for interdisciplinary computing. The model will inform further research on the development and implementation of teaching computing as an integral, embedded component of STEM.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.