As a result of the powerful innovation and application of computing in STEM disciplines, the STEM+C program addresses an urgent need for real-world, interdisciplinary, and computational preparation of students from the early grades through high school (preK-12). This exploratory project will assess the effectiveness of a Logic Programming (LP) approach to integrate computing into middle school science education. Researching LP as a strategy to integrate computing into STEM offers an interesting and viable approach for the STEM+C field. While LP is not a new programming approach, it is under-explored in the STEM+C field where the focus is more on visually-based programming such as block-based programming (e.g., Scratch). Through logic programming, students will learn to represent STEM subject-matter knowledge in an explicit and precise manner, while practicing critical thinking and logical reasoning, and developing computer models based on scientific investigation and problem-solving. A key advantage of LP is in its simplicity and generalizability, and this project will provide valuable information about its effectiveness for STEM content area curriculum development.
Employing a design-based research methodology, the research team will first develop, test and implement 6-week modules that integrate computing with chemistry and life science using logic programming. This curriculum will facilitate students in developing skills fundamental to computing (e.g., abstraction in knowledge representation) and STEM, and compliant with standards such as Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Science (TEKS) and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). A mixed-methods approach will be employed to study the effectiveness of the LP approach on students' motivation and learning outcomes in both computing and the STEM content areas. The modules and supporting materials will be made available online, and promoted at conferences for practitioners and through workshops to non-participant teachers. Results from this exploratory project will provide initial evidence on the effectiveness of integrating computing and middle school STEM science education through the LP approach.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
