Exploring Youth Epistemic Agency and Creativity in a Sandbox Computational Data Mining Workshop (Poster 26)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Sunday 8:00 a.m.
  In Poster Session: Computational Thinking and Learning

Abstract

Computational data mining is a growing genre for pre-college data science education. This is partly because computing and data science can be powerful tools for conducting inquiry across academic disciplines and contexts. Much is known about computational data science learning involving simulated activities, while less about how open-inquiry (sandbox) activities can lead to epistemic agency and creativity. To explore this, we examine a youth final project to understand strategies they use when pursuing a computational data mining inquiry aligned with their personal interests. We observed indicators of epistemic agency concerning creativity when high-school-aged youth were learning to data mine. We discuss the possibility of perspectives in creativity to advance knowledge on how we understand and assess epistemic agency.

Authors

• Justice Toshiba Walker, University of Maryland

• Seyedahmad Rahimi, University of Florida

• Amanda Barany, University of Pennsylvania

• Lin Lin Lipsmeyer, Southern Methodist University