Developing the Next Generation of Problem Solvers: Investigating the Integration of Computational Thinking into Preschool Mathematics and Science

STEM+计算伙伴关系(STEM+C)计划旨在通过一个或多个领域的应用研究和开发，推动STEM教与学中计算的多学科整合。不久前，在学龄前教学计算思维(CT)的目标似乎是无法实现的，但最近我们对CT的构成要素和年轻学习者能力的理解取得了进展，这使这一领域成为一个进一步探索的成熟领域。该项目将研究CT与数学和科学的整合，目的是为新资源的开发提供信息，为学龄前儿童提供丰富的学习经验，促进批判性思维和解决问题的技能，这些技能对以后的学校成功至关重要。项目活动将包括：1)制定研究性学习蓝图，描绘将计算机技术与数学和科学相结合的学习目标；2)设计并反复测试针对这些学习目标、激发幼儿兴趣并产生学习效果的互补性动手活动和数字活动；3)确定指导设计活动形式的设计原则，这些活动形式可供学校和家庭的教育工作者和照顾者使用。多学科项目团队将制定学习蓝图，作为锚文件，指导活动和研究工具的设计。此外，该团队将参与以设计为基础的研究，并使用共同设计的方法，在这种方法中，包括学前教育教师、家长、儿童和顾问在内的多个利益攸关方直接和积极地参与数字和动手活动的开发和迭代试点测试。这将确保设计决策将家庭和学校的学习联系起来，考虑到幼儿的兴趣，并满足学前教育项目和文化多元化家庭的需求和优势。研究人员将使用作为本研究一部分开发的以证据为中心的设计学习任务来进行观察和访谈，并对儿童的学习进行评估，并进行混合方法分析。这项调查的结果可能会为未来寻求将CT与幼儿科学和数学相结合的研究和实践提供参考。同样，这里使用的联合设计过程可以为寻求将不同的利益相关者纳入基于设计的研究的其他努力提供参考。

The STEM+Computing Partnership (STEM+C) program seeks to advance multidisciplinary integration of computing in STEM teaching and learning through applied research and development across one or more domains. Not too long ago, the goal of teaching computational thinking (CT) in preschool would have seemed unachievable, but recent advances in our understanding of the building blocks of CT and of the capabilities of young learners makes this an area ripe for further exploration. This project will investigate the integration of CT with mathematics and science with the goal of informing the development of new resources that provide preschool children with rich learning experiences that promote critical thinking and problem solving skills crucial for later school success. Project activities will include: 1) the development of research-based learning blueprints that delineate learning goals that integrate CT with mathematics and science; 2) the design and iterative testing of complementary hands-on and digital activities that address these learning goals, capture young children's interest, and also yield learning; and 3) the identification of design principles that guide the design of activity formats that can be used by educators and caregivers at school and at home. The multidisciplinary project team will develop learning blueprints to serve as anchor documents, guiding the design of activities and research instrumentation. Furthermore, the team will engage in Design-Based Research and use a co-design approach in which multiple stakeholder, including preschool teachers, parents, children, and advisors, are directly and actively involved in the development and iterative pilot testing of digital and hands-on activities. This will ensure that design decisions link home and school learning, take into account the interests of young children, and address the needs and strengths of preschool programs and culturally diverse families. Researchers will conduct observations and interviews and make assessments of children's learning using evidence centered design learning tasks developed as part of this study and conduct mixed method analyses. The results of this investigation could inform future research and practice seeking to integrate CT with early childhood science and mathematics. Likewise, the co-design process used here could inform other efforts that seek to include diverse stakeholders in design based research.