Background Study: As interest in programming education continues to grow, more educators are incorporating programming into K-12 classrooms. There is evidence that programming can help develop essential skills for future societal advancement, known as 21st century skills. However, there has been limited research into which sub-skills of 21st…

In the realm of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematic (STEM) education, computer programming stands as a vital discipline, amalgamating cross-disciplinary knowledge and fostering the capacity to solve real-world problems via fundamental concepts and logical methodologies inherent to computer science. Recognizing the important of…

The STEM acronym (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) has evolved into STEAM, to reflect the increasingly held view that art and creativity are essential components of math/science teaching and learning. Sadly, too few students are choosing to take computer science classes. When presented as a technical science, many students,…

Promoting the cultivation of computational thinking (CT) skills in programming activities has become a key issue in the K-12 curriculum, however, there is no unified conclusion on how to design programming activities to promote the acquisition of CT skills more effectively. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of using…

This study aimed at examining the COTS (Commercial off the Shelf) games having strong potential for helping to enhance intrinsic motivation and computational thinking skills. To this end, STEAM game store was searched with the keywords of "programming, coding, computing, and algorithm". This search yielded 1,249 games. After eliminating…

Computational thinking (CT) uses concepts that are essential to computing and information science to solve problems, design and evaluate complex systems, and understand human reasoning and behavior. This way of thinking has important implications in computer sciences as well as in almost every other field. Therefore, we contend that CT should be…

A key finding from the Speak Up Research Project findings is the increasing use of digital content, tools, and resources in the classroom to level the in-school playing field and empower the acquisition of those new skills by all students. Significant within this environment today is a seemingly universal agreement about the value of students…

We are witnessing a remarkable comeback of programming. Current initiatives to promote computational thinking and to broaden participation in computing signal a renewed interest to bring programming back into K-12 schools and help develop children as producers and not simply consumers of digital media. This essay explores the re-emergence of…

Advances in technology have caused high schools to update their computer science curricula; however there has been little analogous attention to technology-related education in middle schools. With respect to computer-related knowledge and skills, middle school students are at a critical phase in life, exploring individualized education options…

Learning environments continue to change considerably and is no longer confined to the face-to-face classroom setting. As learning options have evolved, educators must adopt a variety of pedagogical strategies and innovative technologies to enable learning. "Practical Applications and Experiences in K-20 Blended Learning Environments"…

This paper discusses in detail the nature of the conceptual development in beginning computing education for teachers and makes a case for the inclusion of programming experiences. The controversial nature of this perspective is addressed directly including a historical perspective. The discussion includes an account of some specific notions of…