Curriculum and Assessment Design to Study the Development of Motivation and Computational Thinking for Middle School Students across Three Learning Contexts

在现代科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)领域，计算已成为实践中不可或缺的一部分。因此，STEM+计算伙伴关系(STEM+C)计划旨在推进STEM教与学中计算和计算思维整合的新方法和基于证据的理解，并扩大学生在计算和计算密集型领域的参与。该项目建立在一个成功的用于教授计算思维的课后计划(Techfit)的基础上，将其扩展为包括两个额外的新学习环境：选修课；作为基于学科的中学课程的嵌入模块；以及现有的课后计划。共有165名教师(包括144名新教师)和2850名中学生(6-8年级)将参与该项目，这些学生来自服务不足和/或少数民族人口较多的学校。该项目有两个核心目标：1)开发和验证计算思维评估工具；2)考察三种情境(课外、在校课堂、嵌入式模块)下中学生计算思维和动机的发展。学生的学习活动包括通过使用编程语言Scratch、流程图编程以及通过带有电子部件的微控制器进行基于游戏的健身活动。本研究采用前测-后测多点随机对照实验设计，研究三种学习情境(课后课程、在校课程和教学模块)对学生计算前后思维技能、计算动机、计算自我效能感、对计算职业的兴趣和期望的影响。将开发和验证新的工具，以评估学生学习计算思维技能的程度。本研究将考察三种学习情境中动机因素和计算思维之间的关系，以确定情境是否影响教师的教学和学生的体验，最终影响计算思维的发展。

Computing has become an integral part of practice within modern fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As a result, the STEM+Computing Partnerships (STEM+C) program seeks to advance new approaches to, and evidence-based understanding of, the integration of computing and computational thinking in STEM teaching and learning and broadening participation of students in computing and computing-intensive fields. This project builds upon a successful prior afterschool program for teaching computational thinking (TECHFIT), expanding it to include two additional new learning contexts: an elective class; as embedded modules within discipline-based middle school courses; together with the existing afterschool program. A total of 165 teachers (including 144 new teachers) and 2850 middle school students (grades 6-8) at schools with large underserved and/or minority populations will be involved in the project. The project has two core objectives: 1) to develop and validate a computational thinking assessment tool; and, 2) to examine the development of computational thinking and motivation in middle school students across the three contexts (afterschool, in-school class, embedded modules). The learning activity for students involves engaging in a game-based activity for physical fitness by using the programming language Scratch, flowchart programming, and via a microcontroller with electronic parts. The research employs a pretest-posttest multi-site, randomized controlled trial design to determine the impact of three learning contexts (after-school program, in-school course, and instructional modules) on students' pre-/post computational thinking skills, motivation, self-efficacy for computing, and interest in and aspiration for computing careers. New instruments will be developed and validated to evaluate the extent to which students learn computational thinking skills. The research will examine the relationships among motivational factors and computational thinking in the three learning contexts to determine if context influences teacher delivery and student experiences, and ultimately the development of computational thinking.