TEACHING COMPUTER SCIENCE & ENGINEERING THROUGH ROBOTICS: SCIENCE & ART FORM
Journal Title: Problems of Education in the 21st Century - Year 2012, Vol 47, Issue 11
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 EP35180
- DOI -
- Views 257
- Downloads 0
TO BE OR NOT TO BE: ACCOUNTABILITY - THE CONGRUENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC’S DEMAND AND TEACHERS’ CONCEPT
The study is dealing with teachers’ concept of accountability. It is based on a survey carried out among 50 elementary school teachers from Israel’s Central District. The study covered three different domains – the aca...
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SELF-EFFICACY AND ATTITUDES OF CHEMISTRY TEACHER CANDIDATES
This study has been carried out with the aim of investigating the relationship between the attitudes of chemistry teacher candidates towards chemistry in laboratory classes and their self-effcacy beliefs. Teacher candi...
FAILED INNOVATION IMPLEMENTATION IN TEACHER EDUCATION: A CASE ANALYSIS
The global call for teacher quality improvement and numerous accounts of resistance to education reform at all levels of the education system brings to the forefront the tension between rhetoric and reality. This case...
PREFERRED FORMAT OF TEACHING TUTORIALS
Tutorials are an essential part of the academic teaching process. They play an important role in students’ understanding of the material and have a direct influence on their final marks. Selection of proper tutoring po...
Joint singing as a phenomenon of estonian cultural transmission
The recent decades have been revolutionary in Estonia and in all spheres of life including education, quests and changes have taken place. In the period of globalisation it is the time to fnd out whether and to what ex...