High School Computer Science Research Articles

Accessible Adventures: Teaching Accessibility to High School Students Through Games

ABSTRACTAccessibility education has been rarely incorporated into the high school curricula. This is a missed opportunity to equip next‐generation software designers and decision‐makers with knowledge, awareness, and empathy regarding accessibility and disabilities. We taught accessibility to students (N = 93) in a midwestern high school through empathy‐driven games and interviewed three Computer Science high school teachers and one librarian who taught programming. Accessibility education is currently insufficient in high school, facing challenges such as teachers' knowledge and conflicted curriculum goals. The students exhibited increased knowledge and awareness of accessibility and empathy for people with disabilities after playing the games. With this education outreach, we aim to provide insights into teaching next‐generation software designers about accessibility by leveraging games.

What does the phrase “diverse students” mean? An exploration of CS teachers’ ideas of race, culture, and community in their classrooms

ABSTRACT Background and Context Recent research suggests that there is work to be done in overcoming color-evasive ideologies in Computer Science (CS) education. In particular, we have limited insight into how to support white teachers in using Culturally Responsive Computing (CRC) approaches. This paper addresses this gap in the literature by analyzing interviews with white high school CS teachers through the lens of hegemonic whiteness. Objective We ask two questions 1) What are the gaps between these teachers’ views on culture, community, and responsiveness, and how CRC envisions the interplay of these three elements? 2) How can we use teachers’ understandings to reconceptualize presenting CRC to them in a manner that may best benefit their students? Method We use semi-structured interviews of nine teachers until data saturation. We use in-vivo and values coding in the first round and code-weaving in the second round to come up with emergent themes. Findings Our findings show that these teachers did one or more of the following: 1) had dynamic but content-agnostic views about culture in the classroom; 2) focused on community connections with academia, industry, and/or parents; 3) framed the challenges of implementing CRC through a deficit lens; and 4) valued students’ individuality, but were essentialist about student culture. Implications We have implications for practitioners, e.g. to have professional developments that allow teachers to name and challenge white supremacy in CS. We also have implications for researchers, e.g. to investigate ways in which white students and teachers can benefit from anti-racist CS education.

The Impact of Implementing a Moodle Plug-in as an AI-based Adaptive Learning Solution on Learning Effectiveness: Case of Morocco

This article presents feedback on the implementation of an Artificial Intelligence-based adaptive learning Moodle plugin aimed at enhancing the engagement levels and academic performance of 102 Moroccan high school students. The primary objective of this study was to assess and compare the performance of students utilizing the adaptive learning system with those employing conventional learning methods. To guarantee the efficacy of this approach, a participant satisfaction survey and a comprehensive summative evaluation were conducted, revealing the positive impact of AI-based adaptive learning on the participants. The results of this study highlight the potential benefits of integrating AI-driven adaptive learning into high school computer science curricula, emphasizing how it may raise student engagement and academic performance. These results strengthen the determination to use this teaching methodology with students in future educational activities.

МЕТОДИКА СМЕШАННОГО ОБУЧЕНИЯ ШКОЛЬНОМУ КУРСУ ИНФОРМАТИКИ С ПРИМЕНЕНИЕМ ПОДХОДА CLIL

The article is devoted to the problem of optimizing the teaching of a Computer Science course in high school and is aimed at demonstrating the methodology for using blended learning technology in a school Computer Science course using the CLIL approach. A number of blended learning models were studied and the Flipped Classroom model was chosen for our research work. According to the “Flipped Classroom” model, students learn new material and complete assignments using the Internet at home, consolidate and practice the material they have covered during face-to-face learning in the classroom. In addition, given that there is currently a strong demand for a CLIL approach based on a trilingual policy aimed at mastering Kazakh, Russian and English, in a blended learning environment there are opportunities to apply the CLIL approach in a high school computer science course. The article shows the stages of CLIL classes, the actions in which are revealed using specific examples. The results of the study led to the conclusion that the use of two different tools in a school Computer Science course, consisting of the Flipped Classroom and CLIL methods used in educational activities, will help cover voluminous material in English, create conditions for independent study, and facilitate the process of monitoring knowledge for the teacher students and get students interested in learning the subject.

Computer Science for All? The Impact of High School Computer Science Courses on College Majors and Earnings

Computer Science for All? The Impact of High School Computer Science Courses on College Majors and Earnings

Investigating the Equity Imperative in High School Computer Science Curriculum for Latinx Students

ABSTRACT The goal of this qualitative research is to understand equitable teaching practices of computer science classrooms in the Chicago Public Schools through the video analysis specifically for the Latinx students. Data was collected through video recording from 10 different CPS classrooms. The videos were analyzed qualitative to determine the inquiry driven equitable practices. Though the equitable practices were identified based on the classroom video analysis, literature review on equitable practices and core ECS philosophy informed us to recognize and group the themes and their indicators of equity. This research plays a crucial role in terms of informing the current equitable teaching practices based on the videos in ECS classrooms in Chicago, also the research identifies a need to study further cultural references in terms of teaching computer science curriculum. This research has significance for designing professional development for marginalized population in computer science and possibly for other STEM areas.

Culturally Responsive Computing in teacher training: Designing towards the transformative learning of girls in STEM

This Design-Based Research (DBR) study was conducted over a two-year period, and investigated the transformative learning of six high school computer science teachers through the application of professional development (PD) training with a focus on Culturally Responsive Computing (CRC). Findings reveal ways in which teachers’ understanding and enactment of CRC in their classrooms led to increased student engagement, knowledge of diverse learning needs, and improved access to cultural resources to specifically meet girls’ needs. The authors discovered positive effects on the teachers’ strategies in the classroom, especially in terms of understanding how historically marginalized students benefit from instruction that considers their cultural practices and gender identities.

Generating Interest in Foundational Computer Science in High Schools: A Northwest Florida Case Study

Computer Science drives innovation and discovery, and Computer Science classes in High Schools, particularly AP Computer Science Principles, have also been linked to better performance in other High School courses, but a Code.org report shows that the state of Florida, particularly the Northwest Florida region, is far behind the rest of the nation in offering Computer Science classes at the High School level. This paper discusses strategies that are can be implemented to improve High School Computer Science offerings in like-regions that have lower Computer Science offerings. The paper also discusses the challenges that come up in addressing this issue and presents potential avenues for addressing these challenges. One major challenge that is addressed is creating the culture of inclusive computing by getting more women and under-represented groups interested in taking Computer Science courses. Though this is a Northwest Florida case study, most of the strategies discussed in this paper would be applicable to any other part of the country with low Computer Science offerings with a similar socio-economic background.

Random number-based Brownian motion and practical examples of its implementing in high school computer science lessons

Brownian motion is defined in many literature sources as the random motion of microscopic particles in a liquid or gaseous medium. The cause of this motion has long been unknown. The explanation of Brownian motion is that molecules in solution are constantly colliding due to thermal motion and these are random. Over time, this motion has also become the basis for many problems and practical exercises in the natural sciences and has become popular in computer science. Brownian motion simulation and its variations have many positive features. They not only allow the understanding of natural phenomena but especially allow the understanding of random processes. In the classroom, we can practice generating random numbers (e.g. using our own random number generator and testing it), creating various commonly occurring phenomena with a random character (the shape of lightning, a drop running down glass, the formation of copper crystals or a snowflake), or even linking them to statistics (statistical evaluation of the results of work). The tasks presented in our paper are designed for two-dimensional simulations. However, the same procedures are also well applicable to three-dimensional simulations. This can be an assignment for students, for example, for a midterm project. In this way, we can also use Brownian motion for project-based learning and contribute to collaborative teamwork.

Barriers and Supports to Offering Computer Science in High Schools: A Case Study of Structures and Agents

In the age of computing, there still exist many schools that do not offer computer science courses. The reason can be esoteric to designers of interventions, curricula, and policies. This study aims to answer the research question: What do school officials perceive as barriers to and supports for offering computer science courses at their school? This article provides a case study of four public high schools in the state of Georgia to better understand the barriers to adopting computer science. Interviews conducted with school principals, counselors, and teachers were thematically analyzed to study each case. The pattern that emerged from these themes is framed by structuration theory, wherein the structures (school policies, resources, and courses) influence the agents (teachers, students, the community), and in turn, the agents influence the structures. This framing provides insights into what attributes can be supports for or barriers against schools offering computer science courses.

Practitioner Perspectives on COVID-19’s Impact on Computer Science Education Among High Schools Serving Students from Lower and Higher Income Families

Research Problem. Computer science (CS) education researchers conducting studies that target high school students have likely seen their studies impacted by COVID-19. Interpreting research findings impacted by COVID-19 presents unique challenges that will require a deeper understanding as to how the pandemic has affected underserved and underrepresented students studying or unable to study computing. Research Question. Our research question for this study was: In what ways has the high school computer science educational ecosystem for students been impacted by COVID-19, particularly when comparing schools based on relative socioeconomic status of a majority of students? Methodology. We used an exploratory sequential mixed methods study to understand the types of impacts high school CS educators have seen in their practice over the past year using the CAPE theoretical dissaggregation framework to measure schools’ Capacity to offer CS, student Access to CS education, student Participation in CS, and Experiences of students taking CS. Data Collection Procedure. We developed an instrument to collect qualitative data from open-ended questions, then collected data from CS high school educators ( n = 21) and coded them across CAPE. We used the codes to create a quantitative instrument. We collected data from a wider set of CS high school educators ( n = 185), analyzed the data, and considered how these findings shape research conducted over the last year. Findings. Overall, practitioner perspectives revealed that capacity for CS Funding, Policy & Curriculum in both types of schools grew during the pandemic, while the capacity to offer physical and human resources decreased. While access to extracurricular activities decreased, there was still a significant increase in the number of CS courses offered. Fewer girls took CS courses and attendance decreased. Student learning and engagement in CS courses were significantly impacted, while other noncognitive factors like interest in CS and relevance of technology saw increases. Practitioner perspectives also indicated that schools serving students from lower-income families had (1) a greater decrease in the number of students who received information about CS/CTE pathways; (2) a greater decrease in the number of girls enrolled in CS classes; (3) a greater decrease in the number of students receiving college credit for dual-credit CS courses; (4) a greater decrease in student attendance; and (5) a greater decrease in the number of students interested in taking additional CS courses. On the flip-side, schools serving students from higher income families had significantly higher increases in the number of students interested in taking additional CS courses.

Building a gender-inclusive secondary computer science program: teacher led and stakeholder supported

ABSTRACT Background Despite ongoing calls for prioritizing K-12 computer science (CS) education, an enduring gender gap exists. Objective We explored one high school CS program where female participation was consistently higher than state averages to better understand how the program was developed. Method Using a case study method, data were collected over three-months through interviews, observations, course documents, student reflections, and researcher reflections. Constant comparative analysis was employed to analyze data throughout and following data generation. Findings Recruitment and teacher support were key practices. Recruitment practices included letter writing campaigns and recruiting from introductory CS courses. Teacher support came from counselors, administrators, and other teachers. While the CS program was consistently more gender-inclusive, the focus when building the program had been on supporting all students, not only female students. Implications Recruitment should be active and purposeful, but using academic indicators for targeted recruitment campaigns can limit student exposure. Teachers need support for broadening participation, particularly from counselors and administrators, who must also be aware of what CS is and their role in these efforts. Opportunities for coteaching within CS programs can be beneficial for growth. Overall, broadening participation must be a holistic effort, supported by school-wide stakeholders, not only CS teachers.

High-School Computer Science – Its Effect on the Choice of Higher Education

In a previous publication we examined the connections between high-school computer science (CS) and computing higher education. The results were promising—students who were exposed to computing in high school were more likely to take one of the computing disciplines. However, these correlations were not necessarily causal. Possibly those students who took CS courses, and especially high-level CS courses in high school, were already a priori inclined to pursue computing education. This uncertainty led us to pursue the current research. We aimed at finding those factors that induced students to choose CS at high school and later at higher-education institutes. We present quantitative findings obtained from analyzing freshmen computing students' responses to a designated questionnaire. The findings show that not only did high-school CS studies have a major impact on students’ choice whether to study computing in higher education—it may have also improved their view of the discipline.

A blended learning approach for teaching computer science in high schools

The purpose of this research is to determine the proficiency levels of teachers giving computer education in high schools regarding blended learning. In this study, the competencies of teachers who give computer education in high schools regarding blended learning were handled in accordance with the survey model, which is one of the quantitative research methods. The study group of the research consists of 345 computer teachers who teach in high schools in the city of Almaty, Kazakhstan in the 2021–2022 academic year. The data of the study were collected with the blended learning proficiency scale developed by the researchers. As a result of the research, it was seen that the teachers giving computer education in high schools were high in the motivation sub-dimension of blended learning and moderate in the application sub-dimension. It has been determined that the blended learning competencies of the teachers are at a moderate level throughout the scale. Teachers’ competencies in blended learning show a significant difference according to the gender variable. As a result of the research, it was determined that the blended learning competencies of female teachers were higher than male teachers. It was concluded that teachers’ blended learning competencies did not show a significant difference according to the seniority variable. In-service training courses should be organised to increase the blended learning competencies of teachers giving computer education in high schools.
 
 Keywords: Blended learning, learning technologies, teacher competencies;

MACHINE LEARNING FOR NON-MAJORS: A WHITE BOX APPROACH

Data science is a new field of research, with growing interest in recent years, that focuses on extracting knowledge and value from data. New data science education programs, which are being launched at a growing rate, are designed for multiple levels, beginning with elementary school pupils. Machine learning is an important element of data science that requires an extensive background in mathematics. While it is possible to teach the principles of machine learning as a black box, it might be difficult to improve algorithm performance without a white box understanding of the underlaying learning algorithms. In this paper, we suggest pedagogical methods to support white box understanding of machine learning algorithms for learners who lack the needed graduate level of mathematics, particularly high school computer science pupils.

Student Agency in a High School Computer Science Course

This study explores student agency in the context of a culturally authentic computer science (CS) curriculum implemented in an introductory CS course in two high schools. Drawing on focus group and interview data, the study utilizes qualitative research methods to examine how students exercise critical agency as they engage in the course and how the curriculum supports student agency. Findings suggest three ways in which the curriculum served as a context for student agency: (1) gaining CS knowledge and skills that students then apply to address real-world needs and problems, (2) creating opportunities to “try-on” or improvise new identities and/or envision “future selves” in CS, and (3) engaging in personally relevant project work that leverages assets students brought to their experience with the curriculum. Implications for CS education research and practice are discussed.

An Analysis of Gender Gap in Computer Science in High School

Computer Science has been a male-dominated field even at its beginning, and it continues to be so. A distinct gap has developed between the number of women and men studying and working in Computer Science, commonly termed as the Gender Gap. Previous studies have uncovered this gap at its worst during college education, where women occupy a small fraction of the STEM-related classes. Surveys and data were taken from a high school to be analyzed. These provide insight into why female students are not as encouraged as their male counterparts regarding the subject. The results show that even at a stage as early as high school, differences in confidence, upbringing and exposure have often deterred female students from pursuing Computer Science. Contrary to the belief that due to the rising dependency on technology more women are pursuing Computer Science, a four-year plot shows that in high schools there is rather a widening gender gap.

FEATURES OF TEACHING COMPUTER MODELING IN INFORMATICS LESSONS

Modern education is characterized by increased attention to the concept of model and methodology of modeling. She uses them in many fields of knowledge, but the study of computer science helps students to gather their knowledge of models into a common system and consciously apply them in their educational and practical activities. As the current task of learning is to update the content and obtain a new quality of result, the role of teaching computer modeling is becoming particularly important and has a priority ability to ensure the effectiveness of education in all its elements. The purpose of the article: is to identify the methodological features of teaching computer modeling in computer science lessons. Research methods: theoretical − analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological sources to substantiate the relevance, determining the place of the topic "Modeling" in the school course of computer science; generalizations to identify methodological features of teaching modeling in computer science lessons. An analysis of the high school computer science curriculum in the context of the topic revealed that the study of modeling in general and computer modeling, in particular, is included in the school computer science curriculum. An analysis of current computer science textbooks for high school students has shown that the topics of "Modeling" and "Computer Modeling" are presented quite concisely. There are three types of tasks in the teaching of computer modeling: to obtain the necessary information and formulate conclusions according to the given model of the object; develop a model of a real object based on data about it; perform the simulation process on a computer.

Can Computing Be Diversified on “Principles” Alone? Exploring the Role of AP Computer Science Courses in Students’ Major and Career Intentions

The Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles (APCSP) course was introduced in 2016 to address long-standing gender and racial/ethnic disparities in the United States among students taking Advanced Placement Computer Science (APCS) in high school, as well as among those who pursued computing majors in college. Although APCSP has drawn a more diverse population of course takers than the traditional Advanced Placement Computer Science A (APCSA) course, questions remain about whether the new course portends students’ longer-term interest in computing and technology. This study used data from more than 120,000 first-year college students in the United States to understand the relationship between taking APCSA, APCSP, or both APCS courses and students' aspirations to major in computing or to pursue a computing or technology career. Our results indicated that taking APCSA or taking both APCS courses positively predicted students’ major or career aspirations in computing and technology, but that taking only APCSP did not predict long-term computing interest (although positive associations were identified for women). The findings identify a possible tension in the function of APCSP, as it appears to broaden access to computing knowledge, but may not necessarily encourage longer-term computing aspirations for all groups of underrepresented students.

Повышение квалификации учителей математики и информатики на основе командного подхода для устранения методических дефицитов осуществления критериальной оценки учебных достижений школьников

The widespread introduction of a criterion system for evaluating the educational results of schoolchildren is an actual and significant direction of the development of domestic education. The article is devoted to the problem of eliminating methodological deficits of teachers in the development of criteria assessment tools for the current control of subject results of teaching mathematics and computer science in primary and high school. The article describes the method of organizing advanced training of teachers of mathematics and computer science on the basis of a team approach that contributes to the practical implementation of the intra-school system of current control of students ' academic achievements on a criterion basis. The article presents an approach to the implementation of an additional professional training program for teachers of mathematics and computer science on the basis of "team training", focused on the development of professional skills necessary for conducting procedures for the current control of subject learning outcomes, the Department of Mathematical Education and Computer Science of St. Petersburg Academy of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education.