research-article

Serious toys: three years of teaching computer science concepts in K-12 classrooms

Authors:

Jason O. HallstromAuthors Info & Claims

ITiCSE '14: Proceedings of the 2014 conference on Innovation & technology in computer science education

Pages 69 - 74

https://doi.org/10.1145/2591708.2591732

Published: 21 June 2014 Publication History

Abstract

Computational thinking represents a collection of structured problem solving skills that cross-cut educational disciplines. There is significant future value in introducing these skills as early as practical in students' academic careers. Over the past three years, we have developed, piloted, and evaluated a series of K-12 outreach modules designed to introduce fundamental computing concepts. We piloted two modules with more than 340 students, and evaluation results show that the modules are having a positive impact. We combined the two previously piloted modules with a newly developed module and piloted the combined program with over 170 students. Evaluation results again show that the combination is having a positive impact. In this paper, we summarize the program, discuss our experiences piloting it, and summarize key evaluation results. Our hope is to engender discussion and adoption of the materials at other institutions.

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Cited By

Katai ZOsztian ELorincz B(2021)Investigating the Computational Thinking Ability of Young School Students Across Grade Levels in Two Different Types of Romanian Educational InstitutionsJournal of New Approaches in Educational Research10.7821/naer.2021.7.64010:2(214-233)Online publication date: 15-Jul-2021
https://doi.org/10.7821/naer.2021.7.640
Harangus KKátai Z(2020)Computational Thinking in Secondary and Higher EducationProcedia Manufacturing10.1016/j.promfg.2020.03.08846(615-622)Online publication date: 2020
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.03.088
(2019)IndexThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.033(895-906)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.033
Show More Cited By

Index Terms

Serious toys: three years of teaching computer science concepts in K-12 classrooms
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. Computing education programs
        Computer science education
      2. Model curricula

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Published In

cover image ACM Conferences

ITiCSE '14: Proceedings of the 2014 conference on Innovation & technology in computer science education

June 2014

378 pages

ISBN:9781450328333

DOI:10.1145/2591708

Conference Chairs:
Åsa Cajander
Uppsala University, Sweden
,
Mats Daniels
Uppsala University, Sweden
,
Program Chairs:
Tony Clear
Auckland University of Technology, NZ
,
Arnold Pears
Uppsala University, Sweden

Copyright © 2014 ACM.

Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than ACM must be honored. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from [email protected]

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Bilkent University: Bilkent University
SIGCSE: ACM Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education

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Association for Computing Machinery

New York, NY, United States

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Published: 21 June 2014

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ITICSE '14

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Bilkent University
SIGCSE

ITICSE '14: Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education Conference 2014

June 21 - 25, 2014

Uppsala, Sweden

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ITiCSE '14 Paper Acceptance Rate 36 of 164 submissions, 22%;

Overall Acceptance Rate 552 of 1,613 submissions, 34%

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Cited By

Katai ZOsztian ELorincz B(2021)Investigating the Computational Thinking Ability of Young School Students Across Grade Levels in Two Different Types of Romanian Educational InstitutionsJournal of New Approaches in Educational Research10.7821/naer.2021.7.64010:2(214-233)Online publication date: 15-Jul-2021
https://doi.org/10.7821/naer.2021.7.640
Harangus KKátai Z(2020)Computational Thinking in Secondary and Higher EducationProcedia Manufacturing10.1016/j.promfg.2020.03.08846(615-622)Online publication date: 2020
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.03.088
(2019)IndexThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.033(895-906)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.033
Lewis C(2019)A Case Study of Qualitative MethodsThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.032(875-894)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.032
Porter LSimon B(2019)A Case Study of Peer InstructionThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.031(861-874)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.031
Simon BHundhausen CMcDowell CWerner LHu HKussmaul C(2019)Students As Teachers and CommunicatorsThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.030(827-858)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.030
Lishinski AYadav A(2019)Motivation, Attitudes, and DispositionsThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.029(801-826)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.029
Lewis CClancy MVahrenhold J(2019)Student Knowledge and MisconceptionsThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.028(773-800)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.028
Begel AKo A(2019)Learning Outside the ClassroomThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.027(749-772)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.027
Fincher SKolikant YFalkner K(2019)Teacher Learning and Professional DevelopmentThe Cambridge Handbook of Computing Education Research10.1017/9781108654555.026(727-748)Online publication date: 15-Feb-2019
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108654555.026
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