Long-Term Development of Agent-Based Computational Modeling in Fifth Grade

• In Event: Representations of/for Learning

Abstract

Development of expertise in modeling is central to the development of scientific expertise (NRC, 2008). Given the recent emphasis to integrate computational thinking in K12 science curricula (Repenning, 2013; Sengupta, et al., 2013), this paper reports results from the first long-term, microgenetic study of 5th grade children’s co-development of computational thinking and scientific modeling in the context of learning kinematics. Our analysis identifies the nature of children’s progressive symbolization—how the process of progressively refining one’s representation of some aspect of the world can contribute to a deeper understanding of a domain (Hall & Stevens, 1995; Lehrer & Pritchard, 2002; Enyedy, 2005)—as children gradually adopted agent-based programming and modeling as the representational “language” (Giere, 1998) in their science classroom.

Authors

• Amy Voss Farris, Vanderbilt University, Peabody College, Department of Teaching and Learning

• Amanda Catherine Dickes, Vanderbilt University

• Gokul Krishnan, Vanderbilt University

• Cherifa Ghassoul

• Pratim Sengupta, Vanderbilt University