Collaborative Research: Introducing High-School Students to Computational Thinking in Industrial Automation

由于计算已经成为科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）实践中不可或缺的一部分，STEM+计算计划旨在通过将计算思维和计算活动应用于高中（preK-12）早期儿童教育的STEM教学和学习，来解决计算STEM领域的新挑战。强大的制造业对国家的经济繁荣至关重要。制造业工人越来越需要掌握运用计算思维、软件和先进技术的技能。该项目将开发一系列数字发明工具包，使高中生能够重建这些发明的数字对应物的工作模型。例如，1837年获得专利的达文波特旋转电机将被用作开发包含数字微控制器的步进电机套件的支架。因此，学生将了解原始的模拟机电机制如何导致今天的数字对应物的发展。拟议的数字发明工具包将(1)提供计算思维的介绍，(2)招募传统上不被STEM领域吸引的不同学生，(3)向这些学生介绍工业自动化。通过这些项目开发的相关基础设施将提高学校在K-12创客空间提供更广泛制造技术的能力。更广泛的学生参与这些项目也将增加社区大学及其他地方先进制造业项目的多样性。完成的数字发明工具包和随附的教学材料、评估项目和教师支持材料将在Make to Learn网站上提供，并由专业组织分发。该项目还将举办讲习班和短期课程，向技术和工程教育工作者介绍这些材料。该项目将调查：(1)数字发明工具包在提高计算思维方面的效果如何，(2)在整个工具包序列中，这些工具包在吸引和留住女性和代表性不足的学生方面的效果如何，以及(3)项目中引入的计算思维策略如何影响学生的设计和产品开发。该项目将使用一种混合的方法来评估参与者在计算思维的各个方面的成长，同时使用定量和定性方法。为了检验学生的思维过程和解决方案，该项目将使用定性方法来研究计算策略、行动、编码和产品，以及基本原理和相关信念。这些将包括对学生的观察、工件分析、基于任务的访谈、以stem为重点的访谈和教师评估（包括测试和最终课程成绩）。研究成果将在STEM会议上展示，并将在同行评审的期刊上发表。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。

As computing has become integral to the practice of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), the STEM+Computing program seeks to address emerging challenges in computational STEM areas through the applied integration of computational thinking and computing activities within STEM teaching and learning in early childhood education through high school (preK-12). A strong manufacturing industry is essential for the nation's economic prosperity. Workers in manufacturing increasingly need to have skills involving the use of computational thinking, software and advanced technologies. The project will develop a series of Digital Invention Kits that will enable high school students to reconstruct working models of the digital counterparts of these inventions. For example, the Davenport Rotary Motor, patented in 1837, will be used as scaffolding for development of a Stepper Motor Kit that incorporates a digital micro-controller. Students will thereby learn about the way in which the original analog electromechanical mechanisms led to development of today's digital counterparts. The proposed Digital Invention Kits will (1) provide an introduction to computational thinking, (2) recruit diverse students who are not traditionally attracted to STEM fields, and (3) introduce these students to industrial automation. The associated infrastructure developed through these projects will increase the capacity of schools to offer a broader range of manufacturing technologies in K-12 makerspaces. Participation in these programs by a broader range of students will also lead to increased diversity in advanced manufacturing programs in community colleges and beyond. The completed Digital Invention Kits and accompanying pedagogical materials, assessment items, and teacher support materials will be made available on the Make to Learn website and disseminated by professional organizations. The project will also conduct workshops and short courses introducing these materials to technology and engineering educators.The project will investigate: (1) how effective the Digital Invention Kits in improving computational thinking, (2) how effective the Kits are in engaging and retaining female and underrepresented students for the entire Kit sequence, and (3) how the computational thinking strategies introduced in the program affect student design and product development. The project will use a mixed method approach to assess participant growth in various aspects of computational thinking, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. To examine student thought processes and solutions, the project will use qualitative approaches to study computational strategies, actions, coding and products, along with rationales and related beliefs. These will include observations of students, artifact analyses, task-based interviews, STEM-focused interviews, and instructor assessments (including tests and final course grades. Research outcomes will be presented at STEM conferences and will be published in peer-reviewed journals.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.