Trending Tech Services: Rethinking the Tech in Tech Services: Programming as a Curriculum Integrated Element of Knowledge Organization Disciplines and the Impact on Student Learning, Literacy, and Professional Preparedness

Abstract

The growing ubiquity of computer science and information technology across K–12, undergraduate, and graduate education is an example of the even more intensive transformation of professional graduate-level disciplines in which students and professionals alike are increasingly expected to possess not only IT skills but also foundational understandings of complex data models and their use in computationally intensive environments. In this article the author explores the learning of computer science concepts through the lens of knowledge organization disciplines by measuring student use of programming techniques in a curriculum integrated assignment. The author begins with a literature review of techniques that are used to integrate computer science programming content into curricula and explores specifically how these models apply in knowledge organization and information science disciplines. An analysis of 59 assignments that served as the capstone integrated work in an information organization course is presented. The student achievement in programming is measured by evaluating the inclusion of specific elements and differentiating between basic knowledge and advanced knowledge by comparing work with the assignment guidelines. The study also includes student feedback data as a contextualizing data source. The author found that while overall student work met the assignment requirements, there was evidence of advanced engagement with programming concepts that came from a source and motivation point outside of the course. The primary contributions of the author through this article are: (1) a review of the approaches and issues with CS curriculum integration, (2) a broad model for building CS content as a scaffold for higher level learning in trans-disciplinary settings, and (3) a grounded exploration in student achievement measurements for this type of education.