Supporting Early Learning of Computational Thinking Using Mixed Reality Technology

这个项目将向孩子们介绍计算思维，包括将复杂的问题分解成可管理的部分，确定解决问题的步骤和顺序，以及推广解决类似问题的解决方案。解决问题的能力是科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）领域和学科的基础。该项目将研究和开发一种创新的混合现实（MR）学习环境，结合视觉显示和具有可编程运动的机器人。K-2年级的孩子将对机器人进行编程，以解决寻路问题。每个问题场景中的提示和障碍将呈现在平板电脑上。项目环境将主要设计为在正式或非正式环境中无线灵活地一对一使用。参与的儿童和教师将通过与传统上在STEM中代表性不足的社区的学校合作来招募。项目设计将以具身认知、文化响应式教学、儿童发展和人机交互研究为基础，开发体验式、包容性和趣味性的学习体验。三个主要的研究问题包括：1)什么设计元素对于一个有效的MR环境是至关重要的？2)随着时间的推移，儿童对序列和符号的积极影响和理解是如何演变的？3)教师需要什么才能成为成功的引导者？为了提高计算思维能力，孩子们将参与寻路任务，这将要求他们引导机器人通过正确的路径到达目的地。学习环境的设计和研究将在设计、测试和开发的迭代周期中交织在一起。除了传统的数据收集方法外，还将采用传感器收集儿童自身的运动数据。环境对学习者理解和积极影响的有效性将通过比较干预组和对照组来检验。教师将从一开始就参与进来，将他们的实际见解和反馈融入设计中，项目团队将在二年级和三年级开展教师研讨会，以更好地了解他们的需求。该项目将向研究人员、设计师和教育工作者广泛传播项目研究成果和资源。该项目由“面向学生和教师的创新技术体验”（ITEST）项目资助，该项目支持有助于提高学生对科学、技术、工程和数学（STEM）以及信息和通信技术（ICT）职业的知识和兴趣的实践、项目要素、背景和过程的理解。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。

This project will introduce young children to computational thinking, which involves breaking down complex problems into manageable pieces, identifying steps and sequences to solve the problem, and generalizing a solution to solve similar problems. Problem-solving skills are foundational and cut across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) domains and disciplines. The project will research and develop an innovative mixed reality (MR) learning environment combining visual displays and a robot with programmable movement. Children in grades K-2 will program the robot to solve path-finding problems. Hints and obstacles in each problem scenario will be presented on a computer tablet. The project environment will be designed mainly for one-on-one use wirelessly and flexibly in either formal or informal settings. Participating children and teachers will be recruited through partnerships with schools in communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in STEM. The project design will be grounded in research on embodied cognition, culturally responsive teaching, child development, and human-computer interaction, to develop experiential, inclusive, and playful learning experiences. Three main research questions include 1) what design elements are critical for an effective MR environment? 2) how do children’s positive affect and understanding of sequences and symbols evolve as they participate in the task over time? and 3) what do teachers need to succeed as facilitators? To promote computational thinking skills, children will be engaged in path-finding tasks that will require them to guide a robot to arrive at a destination through the right path. The design of the learning environment and the research will be interwoven in an iterative cycle of design, testing, and development. in addition to traditional data collection methods, sensors will be employed for collection of children’s own movement data. The effectiveness of the environment on learners' understanding and positive affect will be examined by comparing the intervention group with a control group. Teachers will be involved from the start to incorporate their practical insights and feedback into designs, and the project team will implement teacher workshops in years 2 and 3 to better understand their needs. The project will disseminate project research findings and resources widely to researchers, designers, and educators. This project is funded by the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers.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.