Using Technology to Support Teaching Computer Science: A Study with Middle School Students

Yizhou Qian; James Lehman

doi:10.29333/ejmste/94227

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Yizhou Qian ¹ ^* , James Lehman ¹

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¹ College of Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

Expansion of computer science education in K-12 schools is driving the need for quality computer science teachers. Effective computer science teachers need both knowledge of computer science and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK), which includes an understanding of student misconceptions. In this study, by integrating an automated assessment system, we identified common misconceptions of Chinese middle school students in an introductory programming course. We found that students’ limited English ability and existing math knowledge contributed to their misconceptions in learning to program. We also noted that Chinese students with better English ability made fewer programming mistakes. This finding differs from previous studies on English speakers that found that students’ English ability had negative impacts on the learning of programming commands. Our results suggest that computer science teachers should integrate appropriate technology into instruction to support identifying and addressing specific student misconceptions. We recommend that teacher training programs in computer science pay attention to developing teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK), the knowledge for effective teaching with technology.

Keywords

computer science education
misconceptions
pedagogical content knowledge (PCK)
technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK)

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 14, Issue 12, December 2018, Article No: em1610

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/94227

Publication date: 12 Aug 2018

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How to cite this article

APA

Qian, Y., & Lehman, J. (2018). Using Technology to Support Teaching Computer Science: A Study with Middle School Students. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(12), em1610. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/94227

Vancouver

Qian Y, Lehman J. Using Technology to Support Teaching Computer Science: A Study with Middle School Students. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(12):em1610. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/94227

AMA

Qian Y, Lehman J. Using Technology to Support Teaching Computer Science: A Study with Middle School Students. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2018;14(12), em1610. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/94227

Chicago

Qian, Yizhou, and James Lehman. "Using Technology to Support Teaching Computer Science: A Study with Middle School Students". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2018 14 no. 12 (2018): em1610. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/94227

Harvard

Qian, Y., and Lehman, J. (2018). Using Technology to Support Teaching Computer Science: A Study with Middle School Students. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(12), em1610. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/94227

MLA

Qian, Yizhou et al. "Using Technology to Support Teaching Computer Science: A Study with Middle School Students". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 14, no. 12, 2018, em1610. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/94227