The project will provide the opportunity for upper elementary students to learn computer science and build strong collaboration practices. Leveraging the promise of virtual learning companions, the project will collect datasets of collaborative learning for computer science in diverse upper elementary school classrooms; design, develop, and iteratively refine its intelligent virtual learning companions; and generate research findings and evidence about how children collaborate in computer science learning and how best to support their collaboration with intelligent virtual learning companions.
Professional Title:
Associate Professor
Organization/Institution:
About Me (Bio):
Dr. Eric Wiebe is an Associate Professor of Science and Technology Education at North Carolina State University. His primary interest is in the use of graphics as a tool for communicating and learning scientific and technical information. Applications in this research includes exploring the cognitive basis of learning via multimedia instructional materials, evaluating technology as a vehicle for communication and learning technical, engineering and scientific information, and promoting graphics literacy and the application of scientific visualization in secondary and post-secondary education. He is also interested in the design and evaluation of instructional materials, especially the interaction with learners and the medium of delivery. Dr. Wiebe holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from North Carolina State University.
Personal Website:
Citations of DRK-12 or Related Work (DRK-12 work is denoted by *):
- Aksit, O. & Wiebe, E. (December 2019; online). Exploring force and motion concepts in middle grades using computational modeling: A classroom intervention study. Journal of Science Education and Technology. doi: 10.1007/s10956-019-09800-z*
- Lytle, N., Cateté, V., Boulden, D., Dong, Y., Houchins, J., Milliken, A., Isvik, A., Bounajim, D., Wiebe, E., & Barnes, T. (July, 2019). Use, Modify, Create: Comparing Computational Thinking Lesson Progressions for STEM Classes. In 24th Annual Conference on Innovation and Technology in Computer Science Education (ITiCSE 2019). Aberdeen, Scotland UK. ACM. doi: 10.1145/3304221.3319786*
- Zakaria, Z., Wiebe, E., Boulden, D., Tsan, J., Vandenberg, J., Lynch, C. & Boyer, K. (June, 2019). Collaborative Talk Across Two Pair-Programming Configurations. In International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL 2019). Lyon, France.*
- Wiggins, J., Min, W., Mott, B., Wiebe, W., Boyer, K. E., & Lester, J. (June, 2019). Take the Initiative: Mixed-Initiative Dialogue Policies for Pedagogical Agents in Game-Based Learning Environments. Proceedings of the 20th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED ’19).*
- Wiebe, E., London, J., Aksit, O., Mott, B., Boyer, K. E., & Lester, J., (February, 2019). Development of a Lean Computational Thinking Abilities Assessment for Middle Grades Students. In Proceedings of the 50th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education (pp. 456-461). ACM. doi: 10.1145/3287324.3287390*