Using a STEM education approach with a computational tool : the impact on students' computational thinking skills and understanding of climate change
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Date
2023
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Thesis (M.S.) - Bogazici University. Institute for Graduate Studies in Science and Engineering, 2023.
Abstract
The current study applied the STEM-integrated teaching approach to middle school students using computational practices and tool. The purpose of this quasiexperimental study was to investigate whether teaching about climate change with a STEM approach using computational practices significantly changes eighth-grade students’ CT skills and understanding of climate change. In addition, the effect of the CT approach as a thought system on the students’ understanding of the concepts was investigated. Weintrop and colleagues’ computational practices (2016) were integrated into the STEM-integrated teaching framework to focus on developing the CT skills of middle school students in science classes. The participants were 60 eighth-graders in a public middle school, selected using the purposive sampling method. The control group participated in a traditional lesson about climate change. The experimental group participated in an interactive lesson that integrated computational practices by incorporating the integrated STEM teaching approach and its steps, such as factfinding and product development, and by using the LabStarTM as a computational tool. Two different instruments were applied as pre-and post-tests. Also, students’ CT skills were analyzed qualitatively with worksheets and individual interviews. The findings of the study indicated that students in the experimental group had higher scores in the post-test on CTS and CCKT compared to the pre-test and students in the control groups. Engaging with computational practices in STEM lesson steps resulted in significant conceptual learning and algorithmic design. NOTE Keywords : STEM education, computational thinking, climate change.