Toward a Middle School Debugging Pedagogy With Physical Computing Systems

• In Event: Middle and High School Learners in Computing and Engineering Education

Abstract

Physical computing systems create unique challenges for K-12 teachers integrating computing into secondary science and STEM classes.
From a sociocultural perspective, we examine teachers’ varied approaches to support students debugging a sensor-based physical computing system.
We use a grounded approach in conjunction with interaction analysis to analyze 23 debugging moments from 5 classrooms using one sensor-based physical computing system.
We distilled two dimensions that describe the varied approaches teachers took: the understanding dimension – a continuum between orienting for student understanding and teacher understanding – and the process/product dimension – a continuum between developing a process for debugging and just getting the system working.
These dimensions depict the nuances of what a robust debugging pedagogy looks like and have implications for teacher practice.

Authors

• Jessie M. Nixon, Weber State University
  Presenting Author

• Colin Hennessy Elliott, Drexel University
  Presenting Author

• Alexandra Gendreau Chakarov, San Jose State University
  Presenting Author

• Michael Schneider, University of Colorado - Boulder
  Presenting Author

• Jeffrey Bush, University of Colorado - Boulder
  Presenting Author

• Mimi M. Recker, Utah State University
  Presenting Author