Middle school students often enter Computer Science (CS) classes without previous CS or Computational Thinking (CT) instruction. This study evaluated how Code.org's block-based programming curriculum affects middle school students' CT skills and attitudes toward CT and CS. Sixteen students participated in the study. This was a mixed methods action…

In this study, we explore the application of process mining techniques on assessment log data to explore problem-solving strategies in Algebra. By analyzing sequences of student activities, we demonstrate the significant potential of process mining in identifying problem-solving strategies that lead to successful and unsuccessful outcomes. Our…

The Precipitating Change Project was a 5-year development, implementation, and research study of an innovative 4-week middle school curricular unit in computational weather forecasting that integrates students' learning and use of meteorology and computational thinking (CT) concepts and practices. The project produced a list of CT skills and…

Computational Thinking (CT) skills are increasingly recognized as essential for junior high school students, especially in addressing the demands of the digital era. This study explores how CT skills--decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithmic thinking--manifest in learning statistics based on students' cognitive abilities. A…

The Big Data for Education Spoke of the NSF Northeast Big Data Innovation Hub and ETS co-sponsored an educational data mining competition in which contestants were asked to predict efficient time use on the NAEP 8th grade mathematics computer-based assessment, based on the log file of a student's actions on a prior portion of the assessment. In…

Background: There exist shared competencies between computational thinking (CT) and mathematics, and these two domains also mutually benefit from various teaching approaches. However, the linkages between mathematics and computational thinking lack robust empirical support, particularly from student-centered learning perspectives. Our study aimed…

We examine elementary and middle school students social interactions while engaged in making activities designed to promote computational thinking (CT). Participants include 52 students in grades five, six, seven and eight working in 17 different groups in three different schools in the Northeast. Students solved CT challenges introduced by their…

A group of adults, dressed in authentic medieval costumes, organize and stage a full-scale battle at a local park; weapons (made from foam), roles, and medieval speech are all part of the event. This is known as "Live Action Role Play" -- more commonly referred to as "LARP." Although many settings and scenarios have been used…

Complex systems are made up of many entities, whose interactions emerge into distinct collective patterns. Computational modeling platforms can provide a powerful means to investigate emergent phenomena in complex systems. Some research has been carried out in recent years about promoting students' modeling practices, specifically using…

This study aims to examine the conceptual understanding of middle-school 8th graders on measurement based on big ideas. To this aim, a case study was carried out with six students from a state middle school. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews with the instrument developed by the researchers and consisting of seven…

It is beneficial for students to discover intuitive strategies, as opposed to the teacher presenting strategies to them. Certain proportional reasoning tasks are more likely to elicit intuitive strategies than other tasks. The strategies that students are apt to use when approaching a task, as well as the likelihood of a student's success or…

In 2019, the U.S. is still facing a shortage of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce that is capable of solving social and economic challenges in 21st century worldwide. Numerous studies have explored the influence of integrative STEM approaches on developing student interest and career aspiration in STEM. Building on…

The 12th iteration of the International Conference on Educational Data Mining (EDM 2019) is organized under the auspices of the International Educational Data Mining Society in Montreal, Canada. The theme of this year's conference is EDM in Open-Ended Domains. As EDM has matured it has increasingly been applied to open-ended and ill-defined tasks…

The purpose of this research was to: 1) development of learning devices based guided discovery model in improving of understanding concept and critical thinking mathematically ability of students at Islamic Junior High School; 2) describe improvement understanding concept and critical thinking mathematically ability of students at MTs by using…

The contributions of domain-general abilities and domain-specific knowledge to subsequent mathematics achievement were longitudinally assessed (n = 167) through 8th grade. First grade intelligence and working memory and prior grade reading achievement indexed domain-general effects, and domain-specific effects were indexed by prior grade…