Computer Science Education Research

This book provides an overview of how to approach computer science education research from a pragmatic perspective. It represents the diversity of traditions and approaches inherent in this interdisciplinary area, while also providing a structure within which to make sense of that diversity. It provides multiple 'entry points'- to literature, to methods, to topics Part One, 'The Field and the Endeavor', frames the nature and conduct of research in computer science education. Part Two, 'Perspectives and Approaches', provides a number of grounded chapters on particular topics or themes, written by experts in each domain. These chapters cover the following topics: * design * novice misconceptions * programming environments for novices * algorithm visualisation * a schema theory view on learning to program * critical theory as a theoretical approach to computer science education research Juxtaposed and taken together, these chapters indicate just how varied the perspectives and research approaches can be. These chapters, too, act as entry points, with illustrations drawn from published work.

As technology continues to develop and prove its importance in modern society, certain professions are acclimating. Aspects such as computer science and computational thinking are becoming essential areas of study. Implementing these subject areas into teaching practices is necessary for younger generations to adapt to the developing world. There is a critical need to examine the pedagogical implications of these technological skills and implement them into the global curriculum. The Handbook of Research on Integrating Computer Science and Computational Thinking in K-12 Education is a collection of innovative research on the methods and applications of computer science curriculum development within primary and secondary education. While highlighting topics including pedagogical implications, comprehensive techniques, and teacher preparation models, this book is ideally designed for teachers, IT consultants, curriculum developers, instructional designers, educational software developers, higher education faculty, administrators, policymakers, researchers, and graduate students.

The world is experiencing unprecedented rapidity of change, originating from pervasive technological developments. This book considers the effects of such rapid change from within computing disciplines, by allowing computing educationalists to deliver a considered verdict on the future of their discipline. The targeted future, the year 2020, was chosen to be distant enough to encourage authors to risk being visionary, while being close enough to ensure some anchorage to reality. The result is a scholarly set of contributions expressing the visions, hopes, concerns, predictions and analyses of trends for the future.

Drawing together the most up-to-date research from experts all across the world, the second edition of Computer Science Education offers the most up-to-date coverage available on this developing subject, ideal for building confidence of new pre-service and in-service educators teaching a new discipline. It provides an international overview of key concepts, pedagogical approaches and assessment practices. Highlights of the second edition include: - New sections on machine learning and data-driven (epistemic) programming - A new focus on equity and inclusion in computer science education - Chapters updated throughout, including a revised chapter on relating ethical and societal aspects to knowledge-rich aspects of computer science education - A new set of chapters on the learning of programming, including design, pedagogy and misconceptions - A chapter on the way we use language in the computer science classroom. The book is structured to support the reader with chapter outlines, synopses and key points. Explanations of key concepts, real-life examples and reflective points keep the theory grounded in classroom practice. The book is accompanied by a companion website, including online summaries for each chapter, 3-minute video summaries by each author and an archived chapter on taxonomies and competencies from the first edition.

This is an authoritative introduction to Computing Education research written by over 50 leading researchers from academia and the industry.

The growing trend for high-quality computer science in school curricula has drawn recent attention in classrooms. With an increasingly information-based and global society, computer science education coupled with computational thinking has become an integral part of an experience for all students, given that these foundational concepts and skills intersect cross-disciplinarily with a set of mental competencies that are relevant in their daily lives and work. While many agree that these concepts should be taught in schools, there are systematic inequities that exist to prevent students from accessing related computer science skills. The Handbook of Research on Equity in Computer Science in P-16 Education is a comprehensive reference book that highlights relevant issues, perspectives, and challenges in P-16 environments that relate to the inequities that students face in accessing computer science or computational thinking and examines methods for challenging these inequities in hopes of allowing all students equal opportunities for learning these skills. Additionally, it explores the challenges and policies that are created to limit access and thus reinforce systems of power and privilege. The chapters highlight issues, perspectives, and challenges faced in P-16 environments that include gender and racial imbalances, population of growing computer science teachers who are predominantly white and male, teacher preparation or lack of faculty expertise, professional development programs, and more. It is intended for teacher educators, K-12 teachers, high school counselors, college faculty in the computer science department, school administrators, curriculum and instructional designers, directors of teaching and learning centers, policymakers, researchers, and students.

Improving Computer Science Education examines suitable theoretical frameworks for conceptualizing teaching and learning computer science. This highly useful book provides numerous examples of practical, "real world" applications of major computer science information topics, such as: • Spreadsheets • Databases • Programming Each chapter concludes with a section that summarzies recommendations for teacher professional development. Traditionally, computer science education has been skills-focused and disconnected from the reality students face after they leave the classroom. Improving Computer Science Education makes the subject matter useful and meaningful by connecting it explicitly to students' everyday lives.

Computer science is increasingly becoming an essential 21st century skill. As school systems around the world recognize the importance of computer science, demand for teachers who have the knowledge and skills to deliver computer science instruction is rapidly growing. Yet a number of recent studies indicate that teachers report low confidence and limited understanding of computer science, frequently confusing basic computer literacy skills with computer science. This is true for both teachers at the K-8 level as well as secondary education teachers who frequently transition to computer science from other content areas, such as mathematics. As computer science is not yet included in most teacher preparation programs, professional development is a critical step in efforts to prepare in-service teachers to deliver high-quality computer science instruction. To date, however, research on best practices in computer science professional development has been severely lacking in the literature, making it difficult for researchers and practitioners alike to examine effective in-service preparation models. This book provide examples of professional development approaches that help teachers integrate aspects of computing in existing curricula at the K-8 level or deliver stand-alone computer science courses at the secondary school level. Further, this book identifies computational competencies for teachers, promising pedagogical strategies that advance teacher learning, as well as alternative pathways for ongoing learning including microcredentials. The primary audience of the book is graduate students and faculty in educational technology, educational or cognitive psychology, learning theory, curriculum and instruction, computer science, instructional systems and learning sciences. Additionally, the book will serve as a valuable addition to education practitioners and curriculum developers as well as policy makers looking to increase the number of teachers who are prepared to deliver computing education.