Teaching Science with Computational Thinking: Preparing Preservice Elementary Educators of the Future STEM Workforce

该项目旨在通过将批判性计算思维观点注入到小学副教师的科学方法课程和实地实习经验中，来服务于改善小学科学教学的国家利益。计算思维是一种使用计算机科学概念来理解和解决复杂问题的方法。尽管它的重要性越来越大，正如国家标准和倡议所反映的那样，没有一个准备教授计算思维的副教授从西弗吉尼亚州的教师教育项目中毕业，全国的情况也同样具有挑战性。大多数情况下，只关注计算机科学与学科课堂设置和学生环境没有明确的联系，错过了重要的机会，让教师认识到计算思维在未来的课堂上可能意味着什么。如果教师教育没有系统性的变化，在职教师可能会对科学的计算性质缺乏足够的理解和兴趣。因此，兼职教师在为学生提供参与未来劳动力所需的重要知识和技能方面将受到限制。为了解决这个问题，这个项目的目的是开发和实施一个计算思维注入课程的科学方法课程。该项目打算在有小学副教师的学校共同设计和试点科学课程。该项目的研究议程旨在调查这些努力对在职教师教学的影响。 在项目结束时，参与的副教授预计将了解，实践和教授批判性计算思维注入科学课程。项目活动预计将产生一个模型和一套资源，可以在全国范围内的教师教育中进行测试和使用，以培养副教师的计算思维增强STEM学习和教学。该项目的总体目标是帮助副教师培养兴趣，能力，并积极认识到将批判性计算思维融入科学教学实践的实用价值。项目研究问题的重点是衡量这些结构，并确定计算思维的做法和过程中例证的副教师的教学努力随着时间的推移。大约有100名在西弗吉尼亚大学初等教育方案文学学士学位中注册科学方法课程的副教授打算在两年内参加。职前教师的目的是有机会实践，设计和教情境化的科学课程单元，将计算思维过程和实践与5E教学模式相结合，5E教学模式是一种被广泛接受的建构主义，以探究为基础的教学模式。项目研究旨在确定计算思维注入活动对中学教师动机和教学的影响。然后，该项目打算在全职兼职教师安置经验中采用研究-实践伙伴关系的观点。选定的兼职教师将参与迭代共同设计，与来自当地教育界的多个利益相关者，试点和测试在安置教室中注入计算思维的科学课程单元。通过传播项目活动、关于如何将批判性计算思维透镜与5E模型相结合的研究成果以及开发的材料，该项目不仅旨在帮助培养在职教师对科学教学的计算性质的理解和兴趣，而且还可能使全国的师范教育工作者和在职教师认识到其与教学法、内容和背景的相关性，帮助学生为未来的STEM劳动力做好准备。NSF IUSE：EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过“学生参与学习”轨道，该计划支持创建、探索和实施有前途的实践和工具。部分资金来自罗伯特·诺伊斯教师奖学金计划。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并且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 aims to serve the national interest of improving science teaching at the elementary level by infusing a critical computational thinking perspective into the science methods courses and field placement experiences of elementary level preservice teachers. Computational thinking is a means to understand and solve complex problems using computer science concepts. Despite its increasing importance, as reflected in national standards and initiatives, no single preservice teacher prepared to teach computational thinking has graduated from the teacher education programs in West Virginia, and the situation nationally is similarly challenging. Most often, a sole focus on computer science provides no explicit connection to disciplinary classroom settings and student context, missing important opportunities for preservice teachers to recognize what computational thinking may mean in their future classrooms. Without systemic changes in teacher education, preservice teachers are likely to develop insufficient levels of understanding of and interest in the computational nature of science. Consequently, preservice teacheers will be limited in providing their students with important knowledge and skills necessary to participate in the workforce of the future. To address the issue, this project aims to develop and implement a computational thinking-infused curriculum in science methods courses. The project intends to co-design and pilot science lessons in schools where elementary preservice teachers are placed. The research agenda of the project is designed to investigate the impact of the efforts on the teaching of preservice teachers. By the end of the project, the participating preservice teachers are expected to know, practice, and teach critical computation thinking-infused science lessons. Project activities are anticipated to result in a model and a set of resources that can be tested and used in teacher education nationwide to cultivate preservice teachers’ computational thinking-enhanced STEM learning and teaching.The overarching goal of the project is to help preservice teachers develop interest, competence, and a positive perception of the utility value for incorporating critical computational thinking into their science instructional practices. Project research questions focus on measuring these constructs and identifying computational thinking practices and processes exemplified in preservice teachers’ teaching efforts over time. Approximately 100 preservice teachers, enrolled in science methods courses in the Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education Program of West Virginia University are intended to participate over two years. Preservice teachers are intended to have the opportunity to practice, design, and teach contextualized science lesson units that integrate both computational thinking processes and practices with the 5E Instructional Model, a widely accepted constructivist, inquiry-based instructional model for teaching science. Project research aims to determine the impact of computational thinking-infused activities on preservice teachers’ motivations and teaching. Then the project intends to employ a research-practitioner partnership perspective during full-time preservice teacher placement experiences. Selected preservice teachers are to be involved in iteratively co-designing, with multiple stakeholders from the local education community, piloting, and testing computational thinking-infused science lesson units in placement classrooms. Through the dissemination of project activities, research outcomes regarding how to integrate a critical computational thinking lens with the 5E Model, and developed materials, this project intends not only to help develop preservice teachers’ understanding of and interest in the computational nature of science teaching but also likely enable teacher educators and in-service teachers nationwide to recognize its relevance to pedagogy, content, and context, contributing to students’ preparation toward future STEM workforce. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. Partial funding is from the Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship program.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.