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Action Fractions: The Design and Pilot of an Integrated Math+CS Elementary Curriculum Based on Learning Trajectories

Authors:

Carla Strickland,

Kathryn M. Rich,

Donna Eatinger,

Diana FranklinAuthors Info & Claims

SIGCSE '21: Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

Pages 1149 - 1155

https://doi.org/10.1145/3408877.3432483

Published: 05 March 2021 Publication History

Abstract

The computer science (CS) education field is exploring several instructional strategies for teaching CS to children in elementary school. Strong arguments have been made for integration--- constructing activities that not only teach CS, but use the CS to support learning in a core subject. Integrating CS materials into a specific curriculum is a non-trivial task that may unfairly burden elementary teachers, who are often generalists. Successful development and classroom implementation of integrated materials relies on many decisions about what, when, and how much subject matter to cover in relation to the main curriculum.

In this paper, we describe the design of a collection of 3rd and 4th grade (8-10 years old) integrated math+CS lessons. Our instructional materials use Scratch as a programming language and employ a learning trajectory approach to integrate the CS concepts of sequence, decomposition, repetition, conditionals, variables, and debugging into fractions content in a popular elementary mathematics curriculum. The integrated lessons are inserted throughout the main mathematics curriculum, providing multiple, non-continuous exposures to CS content. In addition, we present preliminary data from selected activities, including teacher feedback about the structure and impact of the math+CS instructional materials on their students? work.

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Cited By

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https://doi.org/10.1145/3678016
Margulieux LLiao YAnderson EParker MCalandra B(2024)Intent and Extent: Computer Science Concepts and Practices in Integrated ComputingACM Transactions on Computing Education10.1145/366482524:3(1-23)Online publication date: 14-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3664825
Anderson EDonehower Paul CDorodchi MZhange MCooper S(2024)Integrated Computing (Coding + Social Skills) For Elementary Students with Autism Spectrum DisorderProceedings of the 2024 on ACM Virtual Global Computing Education Conference V. 110.1145/3649165.3690120(12-18)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2024
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Index Terms

Action Fractions: The Design and Pilot of an Integrated Math+CS Elementary Curriculum Based on Learning Trajectories
1. Social and professional topics
  1. Professional topics
    1. Computing education
      1. K-12 education
      2. Model curricula

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cover image ACM Conferences

SIGCSE '21: Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

March 2021

1454 pages

ISBN:9781450380621

DOI:10.1145/3408877

General Chairs:
Mark Sherriff
University of Virginia, USA
,
Laurence D. Merkle
Air Force Institute of Technology, USA
,
Program Chairs:
Pamela Cutter
Kalamazoo College, USA
,
Alvaro Monge
California State University, Long Beach, USA
,
Judithe Sheard
Monash University, Australia

Copyright © 2021 ACM.

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Published: 05 March 2021

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SIGCSE '21: The 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education

March 13 - 20, 2021

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Cited By

Computer Science Teachers Association Institute for Advancing Computing Education Association for Computing Machinery Code.org College Board CSforALL Expanding Computing Education Pathways Alliance (2024)Reimagining CS Pathways: High School and Beyond10.1145/3678016Online publication date: 25-Sep-2024
https://doi.org/10.1145/3678016
Margulieux LLiao YAnderson EParker MCalandra B(2024)Intent and Extent: Computer Science Concepts and Practices in Integrated ComputingACM Transactions on Computing Education10.1145/366482524:3(1-23)Online publication date: 14-May-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3664825
Anderson EDonehower Paul CDorodchi MZhange MCooper S(2024)Integrated Computing (Coding + Social Skills) For Elementary Students with Autism Spectrum DisorderProceedings of the 2024 on ACM Virtual Global Computing Education Conference V. 110.1145/3649165.3690120(12-18)Online publication date: 5-Dec-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3649165.3690120
Grover SFields DKafai YWhite SStrickland CStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)Enduring Lessons from 'Computer Science for All' for AI Education in SchoolsProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 210.1145/3626253.3631656(1533-1534)Online publication date: 14-Mar-2024
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Magda DGardner-McCune CJimenez YChu SKulkarni AStephenson BStone JBattestilli LRebelsky SShoop L(2024)The Integration of Computational Thinking and Making in the ClassroomProceedings of the 55th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 110.1145/3626252.3630948(778-784)Online publication date: 7-Mar-2024
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Fang XNg DTam WYuen M(2023)Integrating computational thinking into primary mathematics: A case study of fraction lessons with Scratch programming activitiesAsian Journal for Mathematics Education10.1177/275272632311819632:2(220-239)Online publication date: 4-Jul-2023
https://doi.org/10.1177/27527263231181963
McGill MThigpen LMabie A(2023)Emerging Practices for Integrating Computer Science into Existing K-5 Subjects in the United StatesProceedings of the 18th WiPSCE Conference on Primary and Secondary Computing Education Research10.1145/3605468.3609759(1-10)Online publication date: 27-Sep-2023
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/3605468.3609759
Israel MLi JYan WElagha NHuggins-Manley CLuo FFranklin D(2023)How are Elementary Students Demonstrating Understanding of Decomposition within Elementary Mathematics?Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research - Volume 110.1145/3568813.3600143(222-235)Online publication date: 7-Aug-2023
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Dahshan MGalanti TDoyle MStephenson BDorn BSoh LBattestilli L(2023)Designing Integrated Math + CT Activities to Promote Sensemaking about Place Value in Grades K-2Proceedings of the 54th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education V. 210.1145/3545947.3576268(1321-1321)Online publication date: 1-Mar-2023
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Panorkou NYork TGermia E(2023)Using Debugging as a Platform for Transdisciplinary LearningCognition and Instruction10.1080/07370008.2023.227009442:1(124-158)Online publication date: 9-Nov-2023
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