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MSPnet Academy: Infusing Computational Thinking into Science Education

The Santa Fe Institute has been developing programs and curricula that infuse computational thinking into Science education for the past 12 years. In this webinar, presenters describe how the study of Complex Adaptive Systems through computer modeling and simulation fits into existing science frameworks and classes, share information about their program and curricula, and describe the professional development needed to prepare Science teachers to address the computational thinking practices presented in the NRC framework and NGSS.

Author/Presenter

Irene Lee

Paige Prescott

Maureen Psaila-Dombrowski

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2015
Short Description

In this webinar, presenters describe how the study of Complex Adaptive Systems through computer modeling and simulation fits into existing science frameworks and classes, share information about their program and curricula, and describe the professional development needed to prepare Science teachers to address the computational thinking practices presented in the NRC framework and NGSS.

Agent based modeling in StarLogo Nova

Variations of this slide deck were used in 3 different presentations this summer about the Teachers with Guts project:

  • Agent-based modeling in StarLogo Nova. MIT Nord-Anglia Teacher Program. (2016)
  • Introducing Project GUTS. MIT Science and Engineering Program for Teachers. (2016)
  • Infusing Computational Thinking into Science Classrooms. ISTE Conference.  (2016)
Author/Presenter

Irene Lee

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2016
Short Description

Variations of this slide deck were used in 3 different presentations this summer about the Teachers with Guts project.

Does Competency-based Professional Development have legs?

Does the promise of competency-based PD outweigh the challenges to implementing it? Do we really want competency-based PD or just more effective, sustained, job-embedded PD like instructional coaching, lesson study, and the like. Read this blog by Meg S. Bates as she ponders these questions and more.

Author/Presenter

Meg S. Bates

Year
2016
Short Description

Does the promise of competency-based PD outweigh the challenges to implementing it? Do we really want competency-based PD or just more effective, sustained, job-embedded PD like instructional coaching, lesson study, and the like. Read this blog by Meg S. Bates as she ponders these questions and more.

Online Professional Development: A primer

Many teachers are turning to online professional development to meet their learning needs, but the vast array of available opportunities may be overwhelming. This article provides a framework for making sense of common online teacher learning opportunities. It also suggests situations where online professional development may be most useful and presents a challenge for educators to consider when engaging in online learning.

Author/Presenter

Meg S. Bates

Lena Phalen

Cheryl Moran

Year
2016
Short Description

This article provides a framework for making sense of common online teacher learning opportunities. It also suggests situations where online professional development may be most useful and presents a challenge for educators to consider when engaging in online learning.

If You Build It, Will They Reflect? Examining Teachers’ Use of an Online Video-based Learning Website

Many teachers use online professional development websites, but little is known about what teachers actually learn from them. This study explored teacher use of an online video-based learning website with over 37,000 members. It used web analytics to study user selection of video resources and coding of website commentary to analyze teacher responses to videos. The results indicated that teachers commonly view video clips designed for immediate use rather than reflection and respond to videos by evaluating the pedagogy positively.

Author/Presenter

Meg Schleppenbach Bates

Lena Phalen

Cheryl G. Moran

Year
2016
Short Description

Many teachers use online professional development websites, but little is known about what teachers actually learn from them. This study explored teacher use of an online video-based learning website with over 37,000 members.

Partnership Building as a Broadening-Participation Strategy: Helping Researchers and Developers Bridge the Gaps in STEM Education

This brief examines the continued underrepresentation of African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and women of all racial and ethnic backgrounds in STEM fields; explains the benefits of collaboration around broadening participation; and offers guidance on building partnerships as a strategy for bridging the gaps in STEM education.

Author/Presenter

CADRE

Year
2016
Short Description

This brief examines the continued underrepresentation of African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, and women of all racial and ethnic backgrounds in STEM fields; explains the benefits of collaboration around broadening participation; and offers guidance on building partnerships as a strategy for bridging the gaps in STEM education.

Mind the Emotional Gap: The Impact of Emotional Costs on Student Learning Outcomes

Huang, K., Robinson, &, Cotten, S. R. (2015). Mind the Emotional Gap: The Impact of Emotional Costs on Student Learning Outcomes. In Laura Robinson , Shelia R. Cotten , Jeremy Schulz , Timothy M. Hale , Apryl Williams (ed.) Communication and Information Technologies Annual (Studies in Media and Communications, Volume 10) Emerald Group Publishing Limited, pp. 121-144.

Author/Presenter

Kuo-Ting Huang

Laura Robinson

Shelia R. Cotten

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2015
Short Description

This paper makes a significant contribution to the growing field of digital inequality research by developing an operational definition of emotional costs. To examine this understudied aspect of digital inequalities, we build on Van Dijk’s concept of mental access. We define emotional costs as anxiety toward using information and communication technologies instigated by a lack of prior technology experience and limited computer access.

Threatened by Stereotype: An investigation of the effect of stereotype threat on female and minority students’ STEM learning in the context of a computer intervention

Huang, K., Cotten, S. R., & Ball, C. (2015). Threatened by Stereotype: An investigation of the effect of stereotype threat on female and minority students’ STEM learning in the context of a computer intervention. Proceedings of the iConference 2015.

Author/Presenter

Kuo-Ting Huang

Shelia R. Cotten

Christopher Ball

Lead Organization(s)
Year
2015
Short Description

To contribute to the growing field of STEM education, we examined the presence of stereotype threat for
female and African American students during a large-scale computing intervention. Namely, this paper
examines whether gender and race have an effect on students’ self-perceived technology efficacy,
technology anxiety, STEM attitude, and college expectations. In total, 1,085 student survey responses
were analyzed in order to better understand the effects of stereotype threat on females’ and minorities’
STEM learning. The results suggest that gender was a consistent determinant of STEM attitude and
technology efficacy. Furthermore, race was found to be a predictor of technology anxiety. In regards to
college expectations, gender and race were not predictors. Instead, STEM attitude and self-efficacy were
found to be positively associated with students’ expectations to attend college.

2016 NSF CAREER Program Webinar Resources

We are currently experiencing issues with the recording of the Mar 15th  NSF CAREER Program Webinar. We are working with Adobe on resolving the issues and will post the recording as soon as we are able.

Visit our Early Career page for related resources, including a recording of the 2015 NSF CAREER Program Informational Webinar.

Meet the Presenters:

Author/Presenter

Michelle Cirillo

Karen King

Melissa Luna

Bill Zahner

Barbara Berns

Year
2016
Short Description

The 2016 NSF CAREER Program Informational Webinar was held Tuesday, March 15, 2016, at 3:00 PM EST.

The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.

Hosted by CADRE, this webinar provided an informational overview of the program with perspectives from the NSF and PIs on active CAREER grants.