Research on the Integration of Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Computational Thinking in Rural Elementary Teacher Professional Development and Effects on Practice

这一跨学科研究项目代表了朗伍德大学技术与创新实践教学研究所、数学与计算机科学系、生物与环境科学系与弗吉尼亚州农村学校之间的合作，以开发和测试农村小学四年级教师的专业发展计划。教师将获得设计融合计算思维(CT)、科学和数学的课程的经验。在该计划的第一个夏天，教师将专注于将CT与科学和数学相结合的主题内容和教学策略。在下一学年，将支持教师实施项目小组设计的综合学习单元。在第二个暑期，参与的教师将开发自己的单元和单元，以便在接下来的学年中实施。该项目的活动以三个总体目标为指导：1)增加农村小学教师关于CT特征和性格的内容和教学知识，2)增加农村小学教师将CT概念作为包括数学、科学和CT在内的跨学科课程的一部分的信心，以及3)提高学生对CT特征和性格的认识和技能。为了支持教师实现这些目标，项目组将开发STEM CT集成框架，明确将国际教育技术协会和计算机科学教师协会定义的下一代科学标准、国家数学共同核心标准和CT特征的要素联系起来。随着计算成为科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)实践中不可或缺的一部分，STEM+计算方案寻求通过在高中至幼儿教育的STEM教与学中将计算思维和计算活动应用整合来应对计算STEM领域新出现的挑战(预科-12)。这一研究和开发项目将侧重于农村小学教师的职业成长机会，帮助他们学习如何在四年级创建和教授跨学科课程，明确将数学和科学概念与CT概念联系起来。对本项目影响的研究将以两个研究问题为指导：1)小学教师在多大程度上受到了影响？当他们创建和实施包括CT概念、科学和工程实践以及数学实践的综合课程时，实践转变和自我效能会发生变化吗？2)随着包括CT概念、科学和工程实践以及数学实践在内的综合课程的实施，小学生的CT处理能力会发生什么变化？项目团队将使用混合方法、参与性研究方法来收集、分析和整合定量和定性数据。24名在农村学区同时教授数学和科学的四年级教师将参与该项目，他们的每个班级预计平均有20名学生。将使用一系列经过验证的工具、量身定做的调查、观察方案和教师访谈来收集教师数据并记录随时间推移而发生的变化，学生将被要求解决预定的问题并就CT处理进行访谈。定性的教师数据将使用紧急维度编码方案进行分析，并与学生回应的结果进行三角划分。该项目将审查教师做法的转变以及关于学习如何创建和实施以计算思维为特色的科学和数学课程的信念和态度的变化。该项目还将考察学生的性格和态度在接触到将计算思维与科学和数学概念相结合的课程时会发生什么变化。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This interdisciplinary research project represents a collaboration between Longwood University's Institute for Teaching through Technology and Innovative Practices, Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, and rural schools in Virginia to develop and test a professional development program for 4th grade teachers in rural elementary schools. Teachers will gain experience designing lessons that integrate computational thinking (CT), science, and mathematics. During the first summer of the program, teachers will focus on subject matter content and instructional strategies for integrating CT with science and mathematics. During the following school year, teachers will be supported in implementing integrated learning modules designed by the project team. During the second summer, participating teachers will develop their own modules and units for implementation during the academic year to follow. Activities of the project are guided by three overarching goals: 1) Increase rural elementary teachers' content and pedagogical knowledge regarding CT characteristics and dispositions, 2) Increase rural elementary teachers' confidence in integrating CT concepts as part of transdisciplinary lessons that include mathematics, science, and CT, and 3) Improve student awareness of and skill with CT characteristics and dispositions. To support teachers in achieving these goals, the project team will develop a STEM CT Integration Framework that explicitly connects elements of the Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core State Standards for Mathematics, and CT characteristics as defined by the International Society for Technology in Education, and the Computer Science Teachers Association. 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). This research and development project will focus on professional growth opportunities for rural elementary teachers that help them learn how to create and teach interdisciplinary lessons at grade four that explicitly link concepts in mathematics and science with CT concepts. Research on the impacts of this project will be guided by two research questions: 1) To what extent do elementary teachers? practices shift and self-efficacy change when they create and implement an integrated curriculum that includes CT concepts, science and engineering practices, and mathematics practices? And 2) How do elementary student CT dispositions change with the implementation of an integrated curriculum that includes CT concepts, science and engineering practices, and mathematics practices? The project team will use a mixed-methods, participatory research approach for collecting, analyzing, and integrating quantitative and qualitative data. Twenty-four grade 4 teachers who teach both mathematics and science in rural school districts will participate in the project, and their individual classes are expected to have 20 students on average. An array of validated instruments, tailored surveys, observation protocols, and teacher interviews will be used to gather teacher data and document changes over time, and students will be tasked with solving a predetermined problem and interviewed about CT dispositions. Qualitative teacher data will be analyzed using an emergent dimensional coding schema, and triangulated with findings from student responses. The project will examine shifts in teacher practices and changes in beliefs and attitudes regarding learning how to create and implement science and mathematics curricula that feature computational thinking. The project will also examine how dispositions and attitudes of students change when exposed to curricula that integrate computational thinking with science and mathematics concepts.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.