Since Wing "Communications of the ACM," 49, 33-35, (2006) popularized computational thinking (CT) as a skill for every student, it has gained significant traction as an approach to bring computer science tools and practices into K-12 classrooms. At the same time, teachers often see the relevance of CT as a tool to introduce problem…

The paper explores the phenomenon of the local-worldly university. Why should we cultivate "the Difference" in everyday practices of the university? The author refers to the Derridean "différance," to the idea of wonder ([Greek characters omitted]) and the Herderean concept of "Heimat." By putting these terms in the…

Computers and computer algorithms have contributed to important scientific advances by allowing scientists and engineers to create and use sophisticated models to explain and predict phenomena. Yet, of the eight "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS") science and engineering practices, computational thinking may be the…

Through the experience both in the classroom and travels, the author comes to define the key aspects of critical thinking (CT) as "individual skills that facilitate logical and informed decisions." Beyond personal anecdotes, scientifically, the import of CT has been shown in many walks of life (see, e.g., Bauwens and Gerhard [1987]).…

In this symposium, the author comments on an article written about critical thinking in economics. The author leans toward the view that undergraduate economics should continue to be focused around core tenets and basic models--what the article refers to as little-think critical thinking--while, at the same time, students should be given clear…

School can nurture critical thinkers, creative individuals, and skilled collaborators and communicators, who are curious about and invested in society. Design thinking is a promising educational approach because it builds on the notion that students learn by tackling problems in the world. However, implementing this approach in a school setting is…

This paper shares findings from a teacher designed physics and computing unit that engaged students in learning physics and computing concurrently thru inquiry. Using scientific inquiry skills and practices, students were tasked with assessing the validity of local rollercoaster g-force ratings as posted to the public. Students used computational…

Mathematical modelling is endorsed as both a means and an end to learning mathematics. Despite its utility and inclusion as a curricular objective, one of many questions remaining about learners' modelling regards how modelers choose relevant situational attributes and express mathematical relationships in terms of them. Research on quantitative…

Our study investigates whether confidence correlates with consistency in reasoning, specifically about radioactive decay. In prior work, we developed and tested a survey designed to measure consistency of student reasoning about radioactive decay by comparing responses to three prompts that are isomorphic, meaning that, despite having different…

When a population exhibits collective cognitive alignment, such that group members tend to perceive, remember, and reproduce information in similar ways, the features of socially transmitted variants (i.e., artifacts, behaviors) may converge over time towards culture-specific equilibria points, often called cultural attractors. Because cognition…

The concept of computational thinking (CT) has become more prevalent across the engineering education research and teaching landscape. Yet much of the research to date has been more definitional and has not offered many ways to convert CT theory to practice. One prominent set of tools used across engineering disciplines is modeling and simulation,…

Rapidly evolving fintech and decentralized finance environments present an opportunity to reconsider how best to teach financial reporting, internal controls, auditing, taxation, and accounting information systems. Industrial firms have found considerable success in growing the customer value/cost ratio by applying "design thinking" (DT)…

Previous publications used the term critical thinking (CT) skills and critical thinking practice interchangeably. This article describes the difference between them, defining skills as prerequisite abilities, while practices as real activities. People may have skills, but they do not always use them in everyday life. The question is what triggers…

The reasons for teaching programming in school are indeed manifold. Programming can for example be utilized as a vehicle for understanding and learning particular mathematical subject matter, or as a tool for solving mathematical problems. In this paper, however, we propose to utilize programming as a vehicle for developing mathematical…

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has brought about significant changes in our lives, making AI literacy a crucial endeavor for the future. Despite its growing importance in academia, there is limited empirical research on its impact on college students' higher order thinking skills (HOTS). The present study systematically and comprehensively explores…