Researching the Integration of Robotics into Middle School Physical Science Courses: Examining Instructional and Learning Outcomes

随着计算已成为科学，技术，工程和数学（STEM）实践的组成部分，STEM+计算计划旨在通过在幼儿教育中应用计算思维和计算活动的整合来解决计算STEM领域的新挑战。机器人技术提供了让学生参与STEM领域的计算思维（CT）实践的创新方法，但如果教师对技术没有信心，或者当他们觉得没有准备好使技术与他们的学科领域相关时，他们可能不愿意使用机器人技术。该项目通过设计，测试和完善中学物理科学教师的专业发展计划来回应这种不情愿：1）开发和加强机器人技术，编程和识别使用机器人技术的方法来提高物理科学概念的教学和学习的技能，以及2）设计综合课程单元，提高学生的CT技能并支持物理科学的学习。该项目将为中学教师开发一个全面的50小时专业学习体验，他们将开发将计算思维与物理科学相结合的学习模块。专业学习经验后，教师将在修改现有的物理科学单位，以纳入计算思维和机器人技术使用蜂鸟比特机器人工具包的支持。专业学习计划将开始与为期5天的夏季会议，教师将检查机器人集成在STEM课程的范例，探索机器人资源，并考虑如何机器人和CT可以用来加强学生学习的课程单元的力量和运动。在接下来的学年中，教师将设计和实施一门课程，将机器人技术与力和运动的研究相结合，这一经验之后将有两个专业学习日，教师将讨论实施课程的成功和挑战。在春季学期之前，老师们将再次聚在一起进行为期一天的课程规划。该项目旨在推进知识如何支持教师作为技术增强型教学的设计者，将计算和CT与物理科学主题相结合。该项目的具体目标是：1）设计，测试和完善专业发展模型，使中学物理科学教师能够设计包含机器人技术的教学单元，以增强学生的CT实践并支持学科学习目标，2）确定支持的类型和水平，使教师能够成功实施集成机器人单元，以增加不同学习者的参与和兴趣，及3）进行研究，以改善专业发展模式，并记录让学生参与计算技术对学习物理科学和计算机技术的影响。在三年的时间里，该项目将有22名教师和大约1 120名中学生参与。项目研究将在设计-测试-修改周期中进行，以寻求以下研究问题的答案：1）专业发展干预如何使机器人技术融入物理科学课程？2)教师制定在多大程度上反映了整合方法的目标和原则，教师在制定过程中面临哪些挑战？3)参与集成机器人课程如何支持学生在该学科的学习？以及4）参与综合机器人课程为学生提供了哪些机会来进行计算思维实践？各种数据源将被用来收集定量和定性数据，用于教师，学生和课堂成果的混合方法分析。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得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的支持。

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). Robotic technologies provide innovative ways of engaging students in computational thinking (CT) practices within STEM fields, but teachers may be reluctant to use robotics if they do not feel confident with the technology, or when they feel unprepared to make the technology relevant to their subject areas. This project responds to such reluctance by designing, testing, and refining a professional development program for middle school physical science teachers to: 1) develop and strengthen skills in robotics, programming, and identifying ways of using robotics to enhance the teaching and learning of physical science concepts, and 2) design integrated curriculum units that advance student CT skills and support learning in the physical sciences. The project will develop a comprehensive, 50-hour professional learning experience for middle school teachers who will develop learning modules that integrate computational thinking with physical science. After the professional learning experience, teachers will be supported in revising an existing physical science unit to incorporate computational thinking and robotics using a Hummingbird Bit robotics kit. The professional learning plan will begin with a 5-day summer session where teachers will examine exemplars of robotics integration in STEM lessons, explore robotics resources, and consider ways that robotics and CT can be used to enhance student learning in a curriculum unit on force and motion. During the following academic year, teachers will design and implement a lesson that integrates robotics with study of force and motion, and this experience will be followed by two professional learning days where teachers will discuss the successes and challenges of the implemented lessons. Prior to spring semester, teachers will meet together again for a day of lesson planning. This project aims to advance knowledge about how to support teachers as designers of technology-enhanced instruction that integrates computing and CT with topics in physical science. The specific goals of project are to: 1) Design, test, and refine a professional development model that enables middle school physical science teachers to design instructional units that incorporate robotics to enhance student CT practices and support disciplinary learning objectives, 2) Identify the types and levels of supports that enable teachers to successfully implement integrated robotics units to increase engagement and interests among diverse learners, and 3) Conduct research to refine the professional development model and document the impacts of engaging students with computational technologies on learning of physical science and CT. Over the course of three years, the project will engage 22 teachers and approximately 1,120 middle school students. Project research will proceed in a design-test-revise cycle in pursuing answers to the following research questions: 1) How can a professional development intervention enable integration of robotics into physical science courses? 2) To what extent does teacher enactment reflect the goals and principles of the approach to integration, and what challenges do teachers face during enactment? 3) How does participation in integrated robotics lessons support student learning in the discipline? And 4) What opportunities does participation in integrated robotics lessons provide for students to engage in computational thinking practices? A variety of data sources will be used to collect the quantitative and qualitative data to be used in the mixed-methods analysis of teacher, student, and classroom outcomes.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.