A Logic Programming Approach to Integrate Computing with Middle School Science Education

由于STEM学科中计算的强大创新和应用，STEM+C程序解决了从低年级到高中（preK-12）学生对现实世界，跨学科和计算准备的迫切需求。这个探索性项目将评估逻辑编程（LP）方法将计算融入中学科学教育的有效性。将LP作为一种将计算集成到STEM中的策略进行研究，为STEM+C领域提供了一种有趣且可行的方法。虽然LP不是一种新的编程方法，但它在STEM+C领域的探索不足，该领域的重点更多地是基于视觉的编程，例如基于块的编程（例如，Scratch）。通过逻辑编程，学生将学习以明确和精确的方式表示STEM主题知识，同时练习批判性思维和逻辑推理，并基于科学调查和解决问题开发计算机模型。LP的一个关键优势是它的简单性和普遍性，这个项目将提供有关其有效性的STEM内容领域课程开发的宝贵信息。 采用基于设计的研究方法，研究团队将首先开发，测试和实施为期6周的模块，使用逻辑编程将计算与化学和生命科学相结合。 本课程将促进学生发展计算的基本技能（例如，这些标准包括知识表示中的抽象）和STEM，并符合德克萨斯州科学基本知识和技能（TEKS）和下一代科学标准（NGSS）等标准。 将采用混合方法的方法来研究LP方法对学生在计算和STEM内容领域的动机和学习成果的有效性。 这些单元和辅助材料将在网上提供，并在从业人员会议上和通过讲习班向非参与教师宣传。这个探索性项目的结果将为通过LP方法整合计算和中学STEM科学教育的有效性提供初步证据。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力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 a result of the powerful innovation and application of computing in STEM disciplines, the STEM+C program addresses an urgent need for real-world, interdisciplinary, and computational preparation of students from the early grades through high school (preK-12). This exploratory project will assess the effectiveness of a Logic Programming (LP) approach to integrate computing into middle school science education. Researching LP as a strategy to integrate computing into STEM offers an interesting and viable approach for the STEM+C field. While LP is not a new programming approach, it is under-explored in the STEM+C field where the focus is more on visually-based programming such as block-based programming (e.g., Scratch). Through logic programming, students will learn to represent STEM subject-matter knowledge in an explicit and precise manner, while practicing critical thinking and logical reasoning, and developing computer models based on scientific investigation and problem-solving. A key advantage of LP is in its simplicity and generalizability, and this project will provide valuable information about its effectiveness for STEM content area curriculum development. Employing a design-based research methodology, the research team will first develop, test and implement 6-week modules that integrate computing with chemistry and life science using logic programming. This curriculum will facilitate students in developing skills fundamental to computing (e.g., abstraction in knowledge representation) and STEM, and compliant with standards such as Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science (TEKS) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). A mixed-methods approach will be employed to study the effectiveness of the LP approach on students' motivation and learning outcomes in both computing and the STEM content areas. The modules and supporting materials will be made available online, and promoted at conferences for practitioners and through workshops to non-participant teachers. Results from this exploratory project will provide initial evidence on the effectiveness of integrating computing and middle school STEM science education through the LP approach.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.