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Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore what and how second graders learn in a CS/CT integrated science and engineering module through their research, construction of physical models such as house models, simulation of house models, and Scratch projects. This is a qualitative research and the data was collected in person through artifact interviews, field notes, and classroom artifacts from three different 2nd-grade classrooms totaling 28 students across two schools in an urban area of western Massachusetts resulting in 30 interviews. Based on Brennan and Resnick’s (2012) CT framework, findings reveal that participants developed the following CT practices while planning, building, testing, and proposing a revision to their house models: abstraction and modularization, being incremental and iterative, testing, debugging, and data collection. Second graders also engaged in CT concepts and CT practices in their Scratch programs: The CT concepts of sequences, events, conditional thinking, data, and the CT practices of being incremental and iterative, testing and debugging, and abstraction and modularization. These findings are consistent with the existing literature. The implications of this dissertation study are as follows. First, this study identified data collection as a novel computational thinking practice, not explicitly addressed in Brennan and Resnick's (2012) framework, yet demonstrated as significant within the context of this research. Second, second graders participated in building a tangible house model, categorized as an unplugged computational thinking (CT) exercise in this dissertation. This hands-on task integrated CT practices from Brennan and Resnick's 2012 framework, suggesting that CT practices extend beyond digital or coding realms to encompass tangible, unplugged activities. Last, the sequential progression from hands-on house model construction to abstract Scratch programming proved pivotal in enriching the learning journey for the second graders in this study. The significance of the present dissertation study comes from the fact that it aims to address the gap in research regarding computational thinking education for lower elementary students, particularly second grade students.
Type
Dissertation (Open Access)
Date
2024-05