Analyzing Youth's Problem-Solving in Computational Making Through a Community-Engaged Maker Program

• In Event: Purpose, Aspirations, and Well-Being: Holistic Adolescent Development

Abstract

In this study, we investigated in what ways an out-of-school program changes youth’s problem solving approaches. The findings indicated that learners believed they are more persistent and patient in solving problems in computational making. Previous work has indicated that persistence is important in identity-building in the STEM field. However, research about how out-of-school programs support youth’s development of persistence is still in nascency. We examined how an afterschool program supports the development of youth’s problem-solving in computational making through the lens of Affective, Behavioral and Cognitive model. We found that creating space for learner’s agency, building an open and supportive community ecosystem and applying computational thinking approach to problem-solving contribute to learners’ development of persistence in problem-solving in computational making.

Authors

• Eda Zhang, University of Wisconsin - Madison
  Presenting Author

• Stephen M. Uzzo
  Non-Presenting Author

• Susan M. Letourneau, New York Hall of Science
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elham Beheshti, ETS
  Non-Presenting Author

• Katherine McMillan Culp, New York Hall of Science
  Non-Presenting Author