WIP: Using Games and Robotics to Teach Computer Programming in High School STEM Classes: A Collective Case Study
Leslie Brown, Marissa Tsugawa · 2024
The purpose of this WIP research paper is to explore high school STEM teachers' perspectives on teaching computer programming through games and robotics in their classes.In response to high demands for software engineering and a decreased availability of programmers, student interest in computing needs to begin before higher education.Initiatives such as the creation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for cross-cutting engineering and technology instruction in K-12 STEM classes.We investigate how high school STEM teachers can incorporate games, underutilized educational technology (e.g., robots, smartphones), and block-based programming to increase motivation and engagement in computer programming among high school students through a qualitative, collective case-study design.Our case study implements an intervention where we train high school teachers to teach computational thinking through a game that leverages problem solving, block programming, and a 'robotics in healthcare' theme.After observing high school STEM teachers facilitate the designed learning unit, we will interview them about their perceptions on this teaching framework and we will observe their teaching when implementing the game lesson.Data will then be coded and analyzed using thematic analysis to find out the change in preparedness and engagement towards teaching computer science.