This research examines the integration of computational thinking in mathematics education, specifically examining its impact on students' algebraic reasoning. By teaching core computational concepts such as pattern recognition, decomposition, and algorithmic thinking, students develop a deeper understanding of algebraic structures and processes.…

Background: Learning to program and success in computer science requires persistence in the face of challenges. This study contributes to research on the social context of learning by describing how children's peer interactions can support or hinder the pair's problem solving on the computer. Methods: Video recordings from eight pairs of middle…

Formal mentoring has been an effective approach to mitigate challenges facing underserved youth and contributes to observable improvements in behavior, relationships, and emotional well-being (Rhodes, 2008). Mentored youth appear to gain improvements in peer and parent relationships and school performance, while also engaging in lower levels of…

The technology in the K-12 classroom has changed from being a tool that educators can utilize on an as needed basis, to a classroom necessity. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore K-12 technology directors experiences in the decision-making process of integrating technology in a K-12 education system at a district level…

Learning physics often requires overcoming common misconceptions based on naïve interpretations of observations in the everyday world. One proposed way to help learners build appropriate physics intuitions is to expose them to computer simulations in which motion is based on Newtonian principles. In addition, playing video games that require…

Educators aim to equip students with learning strategies they can apply when approaching new problems on their own. Teaching design-thinking strategies may support this goal. A first test would show that the strategies are good for learning and that students spontaneously transfer them beyond classroom instruction. To examine this, we introduce…

There is widespread agreement that further research is needed in order to identify afterschool program characteristics useful for understanding why some programs are more successful than others. The bulk of recommendations put forth by researchers, practitioners and policy makers focus on observable characteristics of the afterschool setting as a…

This executive summary highlights findings from a larger study that is part of an interrelated series of studies included in the Ready To Learn summative evaluation being conducted by the Education Development Center, Inc.'s (EDC's) Center for Children and Technology and SRI Education's Center for Technology in Learning (EDC/SRI). The purpose of…

This report presents results from the "CPB-PBS Ready To Learn PEG+CAT" Content Study. "PEG+CAT" is a unique transmedia property that emphasizes early mathematics and problem solving. Each episode is structured around a specific mathematical problem the characters are trying to solve together. It includes video episodes,…

Recent assessments indicate that American students do not score well on tests of scientific problem solving, relative to students in other nations. IMMEX is a web-based virtual environment that provides students with opportunities to solve science problems by viewing information resources through a suite of menu options, developing a hypothesis…

When the author was brought on as CIO of Westmont College in October 2008, the president, Board of Trustees, and campus environment made it clear that technology needed a major overhaul to meet the college's growing requirements. Also, these changes needed to happen without significantly increasing the IT budget or staff. Marketing Charts…

Cooperative learning is a well-known instructional technique that has been applied with a wide variety of subject matter and a broad spectrum of populations. This article briefly reviews the principles of cooperative learning, and describes how these principles were incorporated into a comprehensive set of cooperative learning activities for a CS1…

The goal of the study was to improve high school students' problem solving performance as they worked with IMMEX, an online chemistry problem solving simulation. The intervention included brief text messages added to the simulation to encourage students to reflect on their problem solving strategies and to adopt more effective problem solving…

Students learned about electrical circuits in an arcade-type game consisting of 10 levels. For example, in one level students saw two circuits consisting of various batteries and resistors connected in series or parallel, and had to indicate which one had a higher rate of moving current. On levels 1-9, all students received a correct tone and had…

This paper is a descriptive and preliminary report on recent efforts to address two questions: 1) Can school mathematics be used to enhance our students' ability to understand their changing world? and 2) What role might computer technology play in this regard? After recounting some of the mathematical tools that led to a better understanding of…