Technology

Exploring Early Childhood Teachers’ Abilities to Identify Computational Thinking Precursors to Strengthen Computer Science in Classrooms

Principal Investigator:

EPK-2 is designing and testing a model of PreK-2nd grade teacher professional learning to address computational thinking. The focus is teachers’ generative development in CT as informed by collaborative, inquiry-based learning. The goal is to help teachers and schools build computational thinking pathways beginning with students’ earliest years. Research questions explore factors mediating PreK-2nd grade teachers’ learning and implementation of computational thinking in their classrooms.

Click image to preview:
Discipline/Topic:

Dimensions of Success: Transforming Quality Assessment in Middle School Science and Engineering

Principal Investigator:

“Dimensions of Success: Transforming Quality Assessment in Middle School Science and Engineering” aims to update and expand the Dimensions of Success (DoS) quality observation tool (created for informal science learning settings under NSF Award #1008591) to middle school science and engineering classrooms. This project will create a sustainable and scalable system of support for teachers as they 1) implement current science and engineering standards, and 2) create classroom cultures that are equitable and inclusive.

Click image to preview:
Discipline/Topic:
Target Audience:

Designing and Researching a Program for Preparing Teachers as Facilitators of Computational Making Activities in Classroom and Informal Learning Environments

Principal Investigator:

In this project, we engaged elementary (grades K-5) pre-service teachers (PSTs) as facilitators in a family technology program called Family Creative Learning, embedded in the Denver Public Library makerspace network. We studied PSTs’ computational thinking and facilitation practices and its impact on children's learning across informal and classroom settings where pre-service teachers concurrently conduct their field work. The project team will develop research-based resources, tools, and activities that help to cultivate these key facilitation practices.

Click image to preview:
Discipline/Topic:
Target Audience:

Design and Development of a K-12 STEM Observation Protocol (Collaborative Research: Dare)

Principal Investigator:

This project uses over 2000 integrated STEM classroom videos to design and validate the STEM Observation Protocol (STEM-OP) for use in classrooms where integrated STEM is taking place. The STEM-OP is a valid and reliable instrument for use in a variety of educational contexts and research. The STEM-OP and associated training materials are available for use by stakeholders such as K-12 teachers, district administrators, teacher educators, and educational researchers through an online platform.

Click image to preview:

Crowdsourcing Neuroscience: An Interactive Cloud-based Citizen Science Platform for High School Students, Teachers, and Researchers

Principal Investigator:

MindHive is an open science, citizen science initiative that supports authentic human brain and behavioral science inquiry experiences for high school learners, educators, and their communities. The online platform features a suite of tools that enable learners’ research activities, paired with teaching materials. The program s co-designed by a team of educational researchers, teachers, scientists, UX researchers, and developers; and supports collaboration between students from schools across the country, professional scientists, and community organizers.

Click image to preview:
Discipline/Topic:
Target Audience:

CAREER: Bridging the Digital Accessibility Gap in STEM Using Multisensory Haptic Platforms

Principal Investigator:

In this project, we investigate haptic systems that are readily available for rendering visual STEM content through sight, sound, and touch. We use combinations of visual display, text-to-speech, vibrations, and the movement of one’s hands for interacting with STEM content (such as charts and graphs in math and science-based simulations) multimodally on touchscreens. Our investigations extend into "smart" tangible manipulatives that pair with interactive PhET simulations and enable rich kinesthetic manipulation of on-screen content through touch.

Click image to preview:
Target Audience:

Anchoring High School Students in Real-Life Issues that Integrate STEM Content and Literacy

Principal Investigator:

We present a framework for using scenario-based assessments (SBAs) to measure middle school students' ability to formulate written arguments around socio-scientific issues. We present data showing both the current strengths and limitations of these SBAs. We also present data which shows that, through the process of writing over a 2-week time span, the students showed significant improvements in their ability to make a claim, locate evidence, use reasoning, and use scientific vocabulary in their arguments.

Click image to preview:
Target Audience:

Opportunities for Research within the Data Science Education Community

This webinar provided early career data science education researchers with information on the state of the field; tools, curricula, and other resources for researchers; and insight into funding opportunities and proposal development. Participants explore topics, research interests, and problems of practice in more depth in breakout rooms with session leaders.

Author/Presenter

Katherine Miller, Chad Dorsey, The Concord Consortium; Kirsten Daehler, Leti Perez, WestEd; Kayla DesPortes, New York University; Nicholas Horton, Amherst College; Seth Jones, Middle Tennessee State University; Josephine Louie, Education Development Center; Josh Rosenberg, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; David Weintrop, University of Maryland

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2023
Short Description

This webinar provided early career data science education researchers with information on the state of the field; tools, curricula, and other resources for researchers; and insight into funding opportunities and proposal development. Participants explore topics, research interests, and problems of practice in more depth in breakout rooms with session leaders.

MindHive: An Online Citizen Science Tool and Curriculum for Human Brain and Behavior Research

MindHive is an online, open science, citizen science platform co-designed by a team of educational researchers, teachers, cognitive and social scientists, UX researchers, community organizers, and software developers to support real-world brain and behavior research for (a) high school students and teachers who seek authentic STEM research experiences, (b) neuroscientists and cognitive/social psychologists who seek to address their research questions outside of the lab, and (c) community-based organizations who seek to conduct grassroots, science-based research for policy change.

Author/Presenter

Suzanne Dikker

Yury Shevchenko

Kim Burgas

Kim Chaloner

Marc Sole

Lucy Yetman-Michaelson

Ido Davidesco

Rebecca Martin

Camillia Matuk

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2022
Short Description

MindHive is an online, open science, citizen science platform co-designed by a team of educational researchers, teachers, cognitive and social scientists, UX researchers, community organizers, and software developers to support real-world brain and behavior research for (a) high school students and teachers who seek authentic STEM research experiences, (b) neuroscientists and cognitive/social psychologists who seek to address their research questions outside of the lab, and (c) community-based organizations who seek to conduct grassroots, science-based research for policy change.

AI for Tackling STEM Education Challenges

Artificial intelligence (AI), an emerging technology, finds increasing use in STEM education and STEM education research (e.g., Zhai et al., 2020b; Ouyang et al., 2022; Linn et al., 2023). AI, defined as a technology to mimic human cognitive behaviors, holds great potential to address some of the most challenging problems in STEM education (Neumann and Waight, 2020; Zhai, 2021). Amongst these is the challenge of supporting all students to meet the vision for science learning in the 21st century laid out, for example in the U.S.

Author/Presenter

Xiaoming Zhai

Knut Neumann

Joseph Krajcik

Year
2023
Short Description

To best support students in developing competence, assessments that allow students to use knowledge to solve challenging problems and make sense of phenomena are needed. These assessments need to be designed and tested to validly locate students on the learning progression and hence provide feedback to students and teachers about meaningful next steps in their learning. Yet, such tasks are time-consuming to score and challenging to provide students with appropriate feedback to develop their knowledge to the next level.