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Full-Text Articles in Education
Impacts Of Unplugged Activities In Computer Science, Chad Bergmeier
Impacts Of Unplugged Activities In Computer Science, Chad Bergmeier
Master's Theses & Capstone Projects
Computer Science is a fast-growing subject amongst schools. Inside of the program, Computer Science, programming or coding is generally taught. Students will typically learn to code by first using a computer and following instructions. The purpose of this literature review is to research different ideas about unplugged activities used while teaching coding in Computer Science. Unplugged activities are projects that are conducted in hands-on activities instructing students how to code before using a computer. The question that this paper is looking to answer is “What impacts do unplugged activities have on students learning to code?” The research conducted will give …
Computer Science Teacher Survey, Josh B. Mcgee, Sarah C. Mckenzie
Computer Science Teacher Survey, Josh B. Mcgee, Sarah C. Mckenzie
Arkansas Education Reports
In April/May of 2020, the University of Arkansas’ Office for Education Policy (OEP), in partnership with Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson's Computer Science and Cyber Security Task Force, fielded a survey with the 400+ Arkansas educators who at that time held a computer science endorsement (528), computer science approval code (5016), or computer science technical permit (5014) on their educator’s license. The survey received 153 responses, a nearly 40 percent response rate.
Introducing Coding Into Teacher Education: An Interdisciplinary Robotics Experience For Education And Engineering Students, Jennifer Kidd, Krishna Kaipa, Sam Sacks, Lilian Almeida
Introducing Coding Into Teacher Education: An Interdisciplinary Robotics Experience For Education And Engineering Students, Jennifer Kidd, Krishna Kaipa, Sam Sacks, Lilian Almeida
Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications
Despite nationwide mandates to integrate computer science into P-6 curriculum, most P-6 preservice teachers (PSTs) are not exposed to coding or computational thinking during their professional preparation, and are unprepared to teach these topics. This study, conducted as a part of an NSF-funded project, explores a teacher preparation model designed to increase PSTs’ coding knowledge and coding self-efficacy. PSTs in an educational technology course partnered with engineering undergraduates (EUs) in a computational methods course and worked side-by-side on robotics activities to develop skill and confidence with basic programming concepts and block coding. Students utilized experience gained from these interdisciplinary partnerships …
An Initial Look Into The Computer Science And Cybersecurity Pathways Project For Career And Technical Education Curricula, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Murat Kuzlu, Otilia Popescu, Abdul Rahman Badawi, Deborah Kay Marshall, Salih Sarp, Spyridoula Tsouganatou, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Linda Vahala, Hongyi Wu
An Initial Look Into The Computer Science And Cybersecurity Pathways Project For Career And Technical Education Curricula, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Murat Kuzlu, Otilia Popescu, Abdul Rahman Badawi, Deborah Kay Marshall, Salih Sarp, Spyridoula Tsouganatou, Petros J. Katsioloudis, Linda Vahala, Hongyi Wu
Engineering Technology Faculty Publications
Computer science and cybersecurity have gained the attention of various stakeholders, industry representatives, educators, parents and students who are thinking about their future careers. Teaching computer science courses has moved into K-12 education, no longer introduced in the college classroom. There are various reasons for this trend. One is that in this way more children have access to the curriculum that integrates computer science principles, not just those undergraduate students in specific STEM majors. Other industries need different levels of computer science and cybersecurity education. There are various programs across the nation that are focusing on introducing these topics as …
Astrobee: Air Sampling Device And Zero Robotics Game, Bryce Van Ross
Astrobee: Air Sampling Device And Zero Robotics Game, Bryce Van Ross
STAR Program Research Presentations
Astrobee is a free-flying, 1'x1'x1' cuboid robot that is planned to be onboard the International Space Station (ISS) by February 2019. Astrobee will be the successor of the current ISS free-flyer, SPHERES. Free-flying robots possess a range of potential. They can facilitate work for astronauts aboard the ISS by performing rudimentary tasks and housekeeping (e.g., record-keeping, sensor analysis, etc.) efficiently. Free-flyers also act as innovative testbeds for guest scientists to perform zero-gravity control theory research. In recent years, SPHERES has hosted annual Zero Robotics (ZR) programming competitions in collaboration with MIT, challenging middle and high school students to write code …
Using A Computer Science-Based Board Game To Develop Preschoolers' Mathematics, Ryan Andrew Nivens, Rosemary Geiken
Using A Computer Science-Based Board Game To Develop Preschoolers' Mathematics, Ryan Andrew Nivens, Rosemary Geiken
ETSU Faculty Works
There is a critical need to teach computer science (CS) in order to assure that our nation remains competitive globally [6]. CS is a new basic skill necessary for economic opportunity [6] but is rarely taught before age 6 and only using electronic devices [1]. This presents a challenge for those concerned with “screen time” inherent in electronic devices [2] and for children in poverty with little access to electronic devices [3]. Coding, creating a series of commands that a computer carries out, is a component of CS and can be introduced as early as preschool age and results in …
Guest Editors' Introduction: Best Of Respect, Part 2, Tiffany Barnes, Jamie Payton, George K. Thiruvathukal, Jeff Forbes, Kristy Elizabeth Boyer
Guest Editors' Introduction: Best Of Respect, Part 2, Tiffany Barnes, Jamie Payton, George K. Thiruvathukal, Jeff Forbes, Kristy Elizabeth Boyer
Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works
The guest editors introduce best papers on broadening participation in computing from the RESPECT'15 conference. The five articles presented here are part two of a two-part series representing research on broadening participation in computing. These articles study participation in intersectional ways, through the perceptions and experiences of African-American middle school girls, the sense of belonging in computing for LGBTQ students, the impact of a STEM scholarship and community development program for low-income and first-generation college students, a leadership development program, and how African-American women individually take leadership to enable their success in computing.
Successful Female Students In Undergraduate Computer Science And Computer Engineering: Motivation, Self-Regulation, And Qualitative Characteristics, Melissa Patterson Hazley
Successful Female Students In Undergraduate Computer Science And Computer Engineering: Motivation, Self-Regulation, And Qualitative Characteristics, Melissa Patterson Hazley
College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
Computer Science (CS) and Computer Engineering (CE) fields typically have not been successful at recruiting or retaining women students. Research indicates several reasons for this shortage but mainly from three perspectives: social issues, exposure/prior knowledge and curriculum issues in K-12 settings. This mixed-methods research addresses a gap in the literature by investigating the motivation and self-regulation behaviors of successful female students who are studying computer science and computer engineering. The findings in phase one of this study indicated that learning and performance approach goals predicted adaptive strategic self-regulation behaviors including strategy use, knowledge building and engagement. Learning avoidance goals predicted …
The Need For Research In Broadening Participation, Tiffany Barnes, George K. Thiruvathukal
The Need For Research In Broadening Participation, Tiffany Barnes, George K. Thiruvathukal
Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works
Underrepresentation in computing is a global problem, marked by a disturbing lack of access to computing resources and education among people underrepresented by race, ethnicity, gender, income, disability, and sexual-orientation status. It is urgent that we address this divide between those with and without the knowledge to create computational artifacts or even basic functional literacy. Important alliances for broadening participation (BP) are catalyzing efforts to engage more people in computing, but they are not enough. We need solid research as well.
Interview Of Margaret Mccoey, M.S., Margaret M. Mccoey, Matthew Riffe
Interview Of Margaret Mccoey, M.S., Margaret M. Mccoey, Matthew Riffe
All Oral Histories
Margaret “Peggy” McCoey is the Director of Graduate Programs in Computer Information Science, Information Technology, and Economic Crime Forensics at La Salle University. Born in the Oxford Circle section of Philadelphia in 1957, Peggy grew up in St. Martin of Tours parish attending their grade school before going to Little Flower High School. After graduation in 1975, Peggy entered La Salle University an undergraduate where she received a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Peggy received a master’s degree from Villanova in 1984. Beginning in 1982, Peggy McCoey has taught at La Salle University in some capacity. Throughout the 1990’s, Peggy …
Gender Differences In College Students’ Perceptions Of Technology-Related Jobs In Computer Science, Joseph Appianing, Richard Van Eck
Gender Differences In College Students’ Perceptions Of Technology-Related Jobs In Computer Science, Joseph Appianing, Richard Van Eck
Teaching, Leadership & Professional Practice Faculty Publications
Demand for computer technology (CT) professionals continues to rise, yet the supply of related majors is insufficient to meet demand. As with science, engineering, and mathematics (technology’s STEM field siblings), women’s participation in CT fields is abysmally low. While there are many junctures in the “leaky pipeline” for women and STEM careers, college is one of the important pathways to recruit women into CT fields. Wigfield and Eccles’ (2000) expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation provides a valuable framework for examining factors that impact women’s decisions to pursue CT majors, but no validated survey instruments exist for doing so. A questionnaire …
Fostering Logical Thinking In Novice Student Programmers, Kyle Wenholz
Fostering Logical Thinking In Novice Student Programmers, Kyle Wenholz
Summer Research
Many student programmers practice what is called tinkering (attempting to fix broken code by making small haphazard changes). Tinkering wastes time and circumvents the pedagogical purposes of programming exercises in introductory computer science courses. The tinkering process is focused on editing the code before submitting it for compilation, a process that takes code written in a high-level language for translation into machine language (something interpreted directly by the computer). Our hypothesis is that it may be possible to dissuade tinkering by introducing a delay into the compile step, where this delay will keep the student programmer from making changes to …
Expanding The Database Curriculum, Meg Murray, Mario Guimaraes
Expanding The Database Curriculum, Meg Murray, Mario Guimaraes
Faculty and Research Publications
As database concepts and technologies continue to evolve there exists a need to expand the topics included in database curricula. This is challenging given the restraints on the number of courses that can be included in a typical CS or IS program. While a set of commonly identified core concepts and principles exists, there is little consensus on what supplemental materials should be included in database courses. Through an NSF proof-of-concept grant, we designed and developed courseware incorporating the use of animations to deepen and enrich standard presentations of core database concepts and to complement database teachings as found in …
Learner-Centered Assignments In Computer Literacy, Martha E. Myers, Meg C. Murray, Mario Guimaraes, Debra B. Geist
Learner-Centered Assignments In Computer Literacy, Martha E. Myers, Meg C. Murray, Mario Guimaraes, Debra B. Geist
Faculty and Research Publications
Literacy is a concept that is understood to be the identifier of an educated populace. In today's world, literacy includes computer literacy, as well as language and quantitative literacy. This paper describes exercises developed to improve first year students' computer literacy through more learner-centered engagement. Exercises are designed to support learner-centered goals of independent and responsible learners, appropriate breadth and depth of content, teacher as facilitator, and assessment woven into learning. Exercise topics include purchase of a personal computer, basic logic via spreadsheets, an annotated bibliography built with electronic resources, and an integrated assignment customized by and for each student.
Move To Component Based Architectures: Introducing Microsoft's .Net Platform Into The College Classroom, Meg C. Murray
Move To Component Based Architectures: Introducing Microsoft's .Net Platform Into The College Classroom, Meg C. Murray
Faculty and Research Publications
A transformation has been occurring in the architectural model for computer-based application intense software systems. This new model, software-as-a-service, will have a profound impact on the design and development of software for many years to come and as such college level computing curriculums will need to incorporate the concepts and methodologies associated with this new architecture. The platform is built upon a view of interrelated, distributed peer-level software modules and components that work in tandem to achieve specified functional goals. From Microsoft's viewpoint, migration to the new platform requires a radical shift in the software development lifecycle. It is becoming …
Enhancing The Cs Curriculum With With Aspect-Oriented Software Development (Aosd) And Early Experience, Konstantin Läufer, George K. Thiruvathukal, Tzilla Elrad
Enhancing The Cs Curriculum With With Aspect-Oriented Software Development (Aosd) And Early Experience, Konstantin Läufer, George K. Thiruvathukal, Tzilla Elrad
Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works
Aspect-oriented software development (AOSD) is evolving as an important step beyond existing software development approaches such as object-oriented development. An aspect is a module that captures a crosscutting concern, behavior that cuts across different units of abstraction in a software application; expressed as a module, such behavior can be enabled and disabled transparently and non-invasively, without changing the application code itself. Increasing industry demand for expertise in AOSD gives rise to the pedagogical challenge of covering this methodology and its foundations in the computer science curriculum. We present our curricular initiative to incorporate a novel course in AOSD in the …
The Extreme Software Development Series: An Open Curricular Framework For Applied Capstone Courses, Konstantin Läufer, George K. Thiruvathukal
The Extreme Software Development Series: An Open Curricular Framework For Applied Capstone Courses, Konstantin Läufer, George K. Thiruvathukal
Computer Science: Faculty Publications and Other Works
We describe an open, flexible curricular framework for offering a collection of advanced undergraduate and graduate courses in software development. The courses offered within this framework are further unified by combining solid foundations with current technology and play the role of capstone courses in a modern software development track. Our initiative has been very successful with all stakeholders involved.