TEACHING COMPUTER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING THROUGH ROBOTICS: SCIENCE & ART FORM
Journal Title: Problems of Education in the 21st Century - Year 2012, Vol 47, Issue 1
Abstract
Is the field of computer science and engineering a strict discipline or an art form? The answer is both. Computer science and engineering concepts are typically found almost exclusively in collegiate engineering and technology programs. Given its importance across the 21st Century workforce, arguably these concepts should be taught at all pre-collegiate grade levels. This study, specifically focused on pre-collegiate teachers’ increased confidence and subsequent use of robotics, indicates that designed professional development (PD) focused on simple computer programming approaches (e.g. LEGO MindStorm® kits) can propel pre-collegiate teachers to integrate new, challenging computer controlled robotics into their instruction. Surveys, content knowledge quizzes, and artifacts show teachers readily developed sufficient confidence and knowledge in producing lessons embedded with computer programming and robotics. Targeted classroom-ready instruction and modifiable computer programs appear to enhance pre-collegiate teacher knowledge of and confidence in robotics use. Considering overall self-rankings and content, pre-collegiate teacher pre-post scores increased. With these results, the authors argue why approaching computer science as both a strict science and art form is essential in PD.
Authors and Affiliations
Andrea C. Burrows, Mike Borowczak, Timothy F. Slater, J. Chris Haynes
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP454358
- DOI -
- Views 124
- Downloads 0
VISUAL TOOLS IN TEACHING LEARNING SEQUENCES FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION
The accelerated development of information and communication technologies followed by several studies in the cognitive theory area, have promoted the use and the construction of many visual tools (3D concrete models, sta...
FOSTERING PEACE CULTURE BY INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE IN EDUCATION
This manuscript wishes to discuss something that could be considered the oldest and the newest of themes: Peace. Peace is not just the absence of war. It may be that in your country or region there is no armed conflict....
EXPLORING THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS OF PRE-SERVICE SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION
The importance of leadership is discussed widely in the social work literature. However, little is known about the leadership skills of social work students and factors affecting their development in the environment spec...
ON POPULARIZATION OF SCIENTIFIC EDUCATION IN ITALY BETWEEN 12TH AND 16TH CENTURY
Mathematics education is also a social phenomenon because it is influenced both by the needs of the labour market and by the basic knowledge of mathematics necessary for every person to be able to face some operations in...
SITUATED LEARNING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF APPLYING COGNITIVE APPRENTICESHIP AND COMMUNITY OF PRACTICES IN A KINDERGARTEN
The purpose of this study is to implement and evaluate a teacher training program based on the framework of situated learning. Adapting from the situated learning approaches, the author implemented two in-service teacher...