This study investigated technologies/tools used to support facilitator’s and students’ activities in a bridge-building challenge in an eight-week afterschool setting with 4th to 6th graders. It examined how technologies were used to support bridge designs/bridge-building from the perspectives of enabling students’ learning. Videotaped group activities revealed varied technology and tool usage. The use of technology was critical for students to accomplish their design tasks. The use of some devices or tools, such as the earthquake shaking table also enabled students to perform certain tasks like professional engineers. Students’ reactions to technology-supported learning experiences were analyzed though focus group interviews. Implications for using technology to support students’ engineering design activities, as well as for technology supported learning are discussed.
Yang, D., Chittoori, B., Baek, Y., & Stewart, W. H. (2020). Technology-supported activities in a bridge building challenge. In Proceedings of 2020 American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Conference and Exposition, San Francisco, CA.
View PaperThe increased focus on computational thinking (CT) has grown in recent years for various reasons such as a general concern about a) a lack of global competitiveness among American students and general literacy in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields (Shu & Cardella, 2013), b) maintaining the economic competitiveness of the U.S. (Yadav, Hong, & Stephenson, 2016), and c) preparing students adequately for a society that is increasingly technological (NRC, 2011). CT can help anyone analyze and understand multiple dimensions of a complex problem and identify and apply appropriate tools or techniques to address a complex problem (Wing, 2010). Furthermore, children can benefit from an improved technological literacy, content knowledge, and problem solving skills (Shu & Cardella, 2013) while practicing CT.
Yang, D., Baek, Y., Chittoori, B., & Stewart, W. H. (2019). Elementary students’ computational thinking practice in a bridge design and building challenge (Fundamental). In Proceedings of 2019 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition (pp. xx-xx ), Tampa, FL.
View PaperThis work in progress describes the design of a project-based, STEM +C (Computing) curriculum for 4th to 6th grade students in an afterschool setting, which is part of a large NSF-funded STEM+C project. The paper reports the preliminary outcome of the implementation of the first two STEM+C projects that focuses on student attitudes toward STEM and the computational thinking revealed during students’ scientific inquiry and problem solving processes.
Yang, D., Swanson, S., Chittoori, B., Baek, Y. (2018). Work-in-progress: Integrating computational thinking in STEM education through a Project-based Learning approach. In Proceedings of 2018 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference and Exposition (pp. xx-xx ), Salt Lake City, UT.
View PaperLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Laudantium veniam exercitationem expedita laborum at voluptate. Labore, voluptates totam at aut nemo deserunt rem magni pariatur quos perspiciatis atque eveniet unde.
APA Reference Citation Here
View PaperLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Laudantium veniam exercitationem expedita laborum at voluptate. Labore, voluptates totam at aut nemo deserunt rem magni pariatur quos perspiciatis atque eveniet unde.
APA Reference Citation Here
View PaperLorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit. Laudantium veniam exercitationem expedita laborum at voluptate. Labore, voluptates totam at aut nemo deserunt rem magni pariatur quos perspiciatis atque eveniet unde.
APA Reference Citation Here
View Paper