ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Using Sequence Mining to Analyze Metacognitive Monitoring and Scientific Inquiry Based on Levels of Efficiency and Emotions during Game-Based Learning
Author: Taub, Michelle
Date: 2018-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Metacognition,Undergraduate Students,Student Behavior,Scientific Research,Emotional Response,Student Motivation,Inquiry,Hypothesis Testing,Microbiology,Science Instruction,Teaching Methods,Computer Games,Data Analysis,Efficiency,Self Control,Diseases,Learning Strategies

Self-regulated learning conducted through metacognitive monitoring and scientific inquiry can be influenced by many factors, such as emotions and motivation, and are necessary skills needed to engage in efficient hypothesis testing during game-based learning. Although many studies have investigated metacognitive monitoring and scientific inquiry skills during game-based learning, few studies have investigated how the sequence of behaviors involved during hypothesis testing with game-based learning differ based on both efficiency level and emotions during gameplay. For this study, we analyzed 59 undergraduate students' (59% female) metacognitive monitoring and hypothesis testing behavior during learning and gameplay with CRYSTAL ISLAND, a game-based learning environment that teaches students about microbiology. Specifically, we used sequential pattern mining and differential sequence mining to determine if there were sequences of hypothesis testing behaviors and to determine if the frequencies of occurrence of these sequences differed between high or low levels of efficiency at finishing the game and high or low levels of facial expressions of emotions during gameplay. Results revealed that students with low levels of efficiency and high levels of facial expressions of emotions had the most sequences of testing behaviors overall, specifically engaging in more sequences that were indicative of less strategic hypothesis testing behavior than the other students, where students who were more efficient with both levels of emotions demonstrated strategic testing behavior. These results have implications for the strengths of using educational data mining techniques for determining the processes underlying patterns of engaging in self-regulated learning conducted through hypothesis testing as they unfold over time; for training students on how to engage in the self-regulation, scientific inquiry, and emotion regulation processes that can result in efficient gameplay; and for developing adaptive game-based learning environments that foster effective and efficient self-regulation and scientific inquiry during learning.
Exploring Induced Pedagogical Strategies through a Markov Decision Process Framework: Lessons Learned
Author: Shen, Shitian
Date: 2018-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Markov Processes,Decision Making,Rewards,Correlation,Intelligent Tutoring Systems,Student Behavior,Academic Achievement,Guidelines,Reinforcement,Problem Solving,Mathematics Instruction,Equations (Mathematics),Course Descriptions,Data Analysis,Pretests Posttests,Mathematics Tests

An important goal in the design and development of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) is to have a system that adaptively reacts to students' behavior in the short term and effectively improves their learning performance in the long term. Inducing effective pedagogical strategies that accomplish this goal is an essential challenge. To address this challenge, we explore three aspects of a Markov Decision Process (MDP) framework through four experiments. The three aspects are: 1) &quot;reward function,&quot; detecting the impact of immediate and delayed reward on effectiveness of the policies; 2) &quot;state representation,&quot; exploring ECR-based, correlation-based, and ensemble feature selection approaches for representing the MDP state space; and 3)&quot;policy execution,&quot; investigating the effectiveness of stochastic and deterministic policy executions on learning. The most important result of this work is that there exists an aptitude-treatment interaction (ATI) effect in our experiments: the policies have significantly different impacts on the particular types of students as opposed to the entire population. We refer the students who are sensitive to the policies as the Responsive group. All our following results are based on the Responsive group. First, we find that an immediate reward can facilitate a more effective induced policy than a delayed reward. Second, The MDP policies induced based on low correlation-based and ensemble feature selection approaches are more effective than a Random yet reasonable policy. Third, no significant improvement was found using stochastic policy execution due to a ceiling effect.
An Investigation of Linguistic and Localised Features of Thai in English Writing on Facebook Closed Group
Author: Karanjakwut, Chalermsup
Date: 2018-12-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: English (Second Language),Second Language Learning,Second Language Instruction,Writing Skills,Foreign Countries,Code Switching (Language),Verbs,Morphemes,Social Media,Computer Mediated Communication,Language Variation,Thai,Majors (Students),Undergraduate Students,Course Descriptions,Syntax,Discourse Analysis,Spelling,Punctuation,Language Usage,Transfer of Training,Translation

The research aimed at 1) To investigate students' linguistic features of Englishes found in writing in the Facebook closed group's posts and comments, and 2) To investigate types of characteristics of localised features of Thai in English writing found in students' writing in the Facebook closed group's posts and comments. The participants were the second-year English major students who enrolled the course entitled &quot;Teaching English Writing skill 1&quot; at Bansomdejchaopraya Rajabhat University in 2018. The data were collected from the students' writing in the Facebook closed group's posts and comments and analysed with the qualitative method. The finding showed that the posts were mainly about life-learning. For linguistic features, syntactic features were mostly found in parts of speech, punctuation, verb tenses, and capitalisation, and lexical features were mostly found in word choices and spelling. In the aspects of localised features of Thai in English writing, the characteristics of translation and transfer were found the most, and the rest were code-switching, code-mixing, shift, and reduplication.
Preparing Students to Collaborate across Divides: Deliberative Pedagogy, Communication, and Community
Author: Hickey, Theresa
Date: 2018-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teaching Methods,Cooperative Learning,Democracy,Civics,Citizen Participation,Educational Practices,Political Attitudes,Teacher Education Programs,Institutional Mission,Liberal Arts,Higher Education

Democracy--with its complicated problems, multiplicity of positions, and often deeply held convictions--has always been messy. How do we prepare students to participate meaningfully in this type of world, where issues are complex and opinions vary widely? Knowledge about democratic ideals and development of civic dispositions is important, but for students to fully participate in democratic life, they also need skills to use when collaborating around difficult problems. This essay explores the educational paradigm of deliberative pedagogy as understood through its origins in the political idea of deliberative democracy. It discusses the difficult transition of deliberative democracy into educational practice, and suggests deliberative pedagogy might be more seamlessly incorporated. It also considers implications of this pedagogy for teacher preparation programs. Finally, it suggests ways in which this paradigm supports the mission of liberal arts institutions, especially as it concerns discourse, community, and life within a democratic society.
Using Grey-Based Mathematical Equations of Decision-Making as Teaching Scaffolds: From an Unplugged Computational Thinking Activity to Computer Programming
Author: How, Meng-Leong
Date: 2018-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Mathematics Instruction,Equations (Mathematics),Scaffolding (Teaching Technique),Decision Making,Computation,Thinking Skills,Programming,Problem Solving,Mathematical Models,Computer Science Education,Coding

Computational Thinking (CT) is pervasive in our daily lives and is useful for problem-solving. Decision-making is a crucial part of problem-solving. In the extant literature, problem-solving strategies in educational settings are often conveniently attributed to intuition; however, it is well documented that computer programmers might even have difficulty describing about their intuitive insights during problem-solving using natural language (such as English), and subsequently convert what has been described using words into software code. Hence, a more analytical approach using mathematical equations and descriptions of CT is offered in this paper as a potential form of rudimentary scaffolding, which might be useful to facilitators and learners of CT-related activities. In the present paper, the decision-making processes during an unplugged CT activity are delineated via Grey-based mathematical equations, which is useful for informing educators who may wish to explain to their learners about the various aspects of CT which are involved in the unplugged activity and simultaneously use these mathematical equations as scaffolds between the unplugged activity and computer code programming. This theoretical manuscript may serve as a base for learners, should the facilitator ask them to embark on a software programming activity that is closely associated to the unplugged CT activity.
Making Programming Accessible to Learners with Visual Impairments: A Literature Review
Author: Hadwen-Bennett, Alex
Date: 2018-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Programming,Accessibility (for Disabled),Visual Impairments,Auditory Stimuli,Tactile Adaptation,Manipulative Materials,Student Needs,Blindness,Models,Teaching Methods

Programming can be challenging to learn, and for visually impaired (VI) learners, there are numerous additional barriers to the learning process. Many modern programming environments are inaccessible to VI learners, being difficult or impossible to interface with using a screen reader. A review of the literature has identified a number of strategies that have been employed in the quest to make learning to program accessible to VI learners. These can be broadly divided into the following categories; auditory and haptic feedback, making text-based languages (TBLs) accessible, making block-based languages (BBLs) accessible and physical artefacts. A common theme among the literature is the difficulty VI learners have in gaining an understanding of the overall structure of their code. Much of the research carried out in this space to date focuses on the evaluation of interventions aimed at VI high-school and undergraduate students, with limited attention given to the learning processes of VI learners. Additionally, the majority of the research deals with TBLs, this is despite the fact that most introductory programming courses for primary learners use BBLs. Therefore, further research is urgently needed to investigate potential strategies for introducing VI children in primary education to programming and the learning processes involved.
Abstraction in Action: K-5 Teachers&apos; Uses of Levels of Abstraction, Particularly the Design Level, in Teaching Programming
Author: Waite, Jane Lisa
Date: 2018-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Elementary School Teachers,Programming,Pedagogical Content Knowledge,Computation,Thinking Skills,Computer Science Education,Programming Languages,Abstract Reasoning

Research indicates that understanding levels of abstraction (LOA) and being able to move between the levels is essential to programming success. For K-5 contexts LOA levels have been named: problem, design, code and running the code. In a qualitative exploratory study, five K-5 teachers were interviewed on their uses of LOA, particularly the design level, in teaching programming and other subjects. Using PCK elements to analyse responses, the teachers interviewed used design as an instructional strategy and for assessment. The teachers used design as an aide memoire and the expert teachers used design: as a contract for pair-programming; to work out what they needed to teach; for learners to annotate with code snippets (to transition across LOA); for learners to self-assess and to assess 'do-ability'. The teachers used planning in teaching writing to scaffold learning and promote self-regulation revealing their insight in student understanding. One issue was of the teachers' knowledge of terms including algorithm and code; a concept of 'emergent algorithms' is proposed. Findings from the study suggest design helps learners learn to program in the same way that planning helps learners learn to write and that LOA, particularly the design level, may provide an accessible exemplar of abstraction in action. Further work is needed to verify whether the study's results are generalisable more widely.
Computational Thinking in Secondary Education: Where Does It Fit? A Systematic Literary Review
Author: Lockwood, James
Date: 2018-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computation,Thinking Skills,Logical Thinking,Secondary Education,Computer Science Education,Curriculum Development,Teaching Methods,Barriers

Computational Thinking has been described as an essential skill which everyone should learn and can therefore include in their skill set. Seymour Papert (Papert, 1980) is credited as concretising Computational Thinking in 1980 but Jeanette Wing (Wing, 2006) popularised the term in 2006 and brought it to the international community's attention. Since then, increased focus and attention have been placed on Computational Thinking and more and more research has been conducted on Computational Thinking in education. The first aim of this systematic literary review is to give second-level educators who are looking to include Computational Thinking into their schools and classrooms ideas and options when looking at how to achieve this. The hope is also to present reasons as to why it is important to teach Computational Thinking, along with potential issues. Secondly, we aim to give education researchers an overview of what work has been carried out in the domain, as well as potential gaps and opportunities that still exist. Thirdly, this is the first stage in a longer-term project to develop a Computational Thinking based curriculum which is taught using Computer Science. It is hoped that the problems, opportunities and ideas that are presented here will underpin this curriculum. Overall it was found in this review that, although there is a lot of work currently being done around the world in many different educational contexts, the work relating to Computational Thinking is still in its infancy. Along with the need to create an agreed-upon definition of Computational Thinking lots of countries are still in the process of, or have not yet started, introducing Computational Thinking into curriculum in all levels of education. It was also found that Computer Science/Computing, which could be the most obvious place to teach Computational Thinking, has yet to become a mainstream subject in some countries, although this is becoming more common. Of encouragement to educators is the wealth of tools and resources being developed to help teach Computational Thinking as well as more and more work relating to curriculum development. For those teachers looking to incorporate Computational Thinking into their schools or classes then there are bountiful options which include programming, hands-on exercises and more. [For the corresponding online submission, see ED581487.]
Computational Concepts Reflected on Scratch Programs
Author: Kwon, Kyungbin
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Science Education,Programming,Programming Languages,Program Evaluation,Preservice Teachers,Teaching Methods,Computation,Thinking Skills,Logical Thinking,Coding

Evaluating the quality of students' programs is necessary for better teaching and learning. Although many innovative learning environments for computer science have been introduced, the scarcity of program evaluation frames and tools is a demanding issue in the teaching practice. This study examined the quality of students' Scratch programs by utilizing Dr. Scratch and by analyzing codes based on four computational concepts: conditions, loops, abstractions, and variables. Twenty-three Scratch programs from two classes of pre-service teachers from a university were examined. Dr. Scratch results revealed that Scratch programs demonstrated a middle level of competency in computational thinking. The analysis of computational concepts suggested that students had a sufficient understanding of the main concepts and demonstrated computing competency by applying the concepts into their programs. The study also discussed inefficient programming habits, instructional issues utilizing Scratch, and the importance of problem decomposition skills.
Exploring the Use of Self-Regulation Strategies in Programming with Regard to Learning Styles
Author: Çakiroglu, Ünal
Date: 2018-04-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Learning Strategies,Independent Study,Programming,Computer Science Education,Cognitive Style,Foreign Countries,Measures (Individuals),Time Management,Self Efficacy,College Students

This study attempts to understand the relationship between learning styles and self-regulated learning of preservice computer teachers in a programming course. Students' strategies for self-regulation with regard to their learning styles were assessed on the basis of qualitative data in terms of programming course. The Turkish version of Felder-Soloman learning style inventory was used to identify the students' learning styles and interviews were conducted to evaluate students' SRL strategies in programming. The results suggest that the characteristics of learning styles are somewhat related to self-regulation strategies. Time management was identified as a leading self-regulation strategy among learning styles, while shortcomings regarding target setting and self-efficacy strategies were prominent with almost all learning styles. Characteristics of other selfregulation strategies do not directly match with expected behaviors of learning styles in the context of learning programming. It is hoped that the study may shed light for instructors and instructional designers to design more appropriate settings for teaching programming taking learning styles in to consideration.
Pre-Service Information Technologies Teachers&apos; Views on Computer Programming Tools for K-12 Level
Author: Altiok, Serhat
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Preservice Teachers,Information Technology,Student Attitudes,Programming,Elementary Secondary Education,Computer Oriented Programs,Foreign Countries

The purpose of the study is to analyze pre-service IT teachers' views on a five day seminar which is related to current methodologies and tools in K-12 computer programming education. The study sample consisted of 44 pre-service IT teachers who study as 3rd or 4th undergraduate program at Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology in 21 different universities. The data is collected through a Students' Perceptions about Kid's Programming Language Questionnaire consisting of 27 five-point Likert-type items, grouped under three factors. The collected quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as means, standard deviations. The results of the study indicated that almost all visual programming tools have positive effects on students' views, Small Basic is not as effective as other tools. It could be concluded that Small Basic tool is text-based in contrast to the other block-based features.
Teaching Computer Science Concepts through Robotics to Elementary School Children
Author: Friebroon-Yesharim, Mor
Date: 2018-08-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Science Education,Robotics,Elementary School Students,Elementary School Science,Grade 2,Teaching Methods,Programming Languages

Studying computer science (CS) in elementary schools has gained become popular in recent years. However, students at such a young age encounter difficulties when first engaging with CS. Robotics has been proposed as a medium for teaching CS to young students, because it reifies concepts in a tangible object, and because of the excitement of working with robots. We asked: What CS concepts can elementary-school students learn from the participation in a robotics-based CS course? We used two theoretical frameworks to explain possible difficulties in learning: the Jourdain effect, and constructs vs. plans. A taxonomy of six levels was created to characterize levels of learning. The levels were measured using four questionnaires that were based on the taxonomy. In addition, field observations of the lessons were recorded. The population consisted of 118 second-grade students (ages 7-8). Lessons on CS concepts using Thymio educational robot and its graphical software development environment were taught during normal school hours, not in a voluntary extracurricular activity. The syllabus was based on existing learning materials that were adapted for the young age of the students. The analysis showed that the students were very engaged with the robotics activities. They did learn basic CS concepts, although they found it difficult to create and run their own programs. We concluded that the Jourdain effect was not demonstrated because the students understood concepts and constructs of CS; however, they were unable to plan and construct their own programs from the basic constructs.
Unplugged Cybersecurity: An Approach for Bringing Computer Science into the Classroom
Author: Fees, Rachel E.
Date: 2018-01-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Computer Science Education,STEM Education,Computer Security,Experiential Learning,Inquiry,Active Learning,Elementary Secondary Education,Social Media,Programming,Computer Networks,Learning Activities

The United States Naval Academy (USNA) STEM Center for Education and Outreach addresses an urgent Navy and national need for more young people to pursue careers in STEM fields through world-wide outreach to 17,000 students and 900 teachers per year. To achieve this mission, the STEM Center has developed a hands-on and inquiry-based methodology to be used with K-12 educators at professional development workshops and with students through camps, festivals and fairs, and STEM days. According to recent data, math and computer science (CS) are the fastest growing fields among STEM careers (US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016). The Computer Science for All initiative (U.S. Office of the Press Secretary, 2016) urges communities to bring more computer science education into the classroom to meet the rapidly rising need for more CS graduates. As a result, the USNA STEM Center has developed a number of unplugged (without a computer) cybersecurity modules to promote engagement and increase awareness. Topic areas include encryption, networking and social media, viruses and malware, programming, hardware components, authentication and authorization, and hacking. This article describes the methodology for developing unplugged computer science activities and adapting computer science undergraduate curriculum for K-12 educators and students as an introduction to complex computer science topics. [The STEM Center acknowledges the Office of Naval Research, the Office of Secretary of Defense, and the Volgenau Chair for Education and Outreach through the Naval Academy Foundation who provide funding to develop and adapt the activities presented here as well as hold the events described. For the corresponding online submission, see ED581322.]