Formative Uses of a Rubric to Assess Computational Thinking (Poster 2)

• In Event: Formative Research and Pedagogical Approaches to Integrate Computational Thinking and Computer Science in a Residency

Abstract

We investigated the formative uses of a new observation rubric intended to assess and provide formative feedback to improve teachers’ instructional practices in computational thinking (CT) in science and math, developed as part of the STEM+C3 project. The new rubric complements an existing classroom observation instrument (ICOR) that measures science and mathematics instruction, focusing on equity and humanizing pedagogy. The computational thinking module (ICOR-CT) comprises seven dimensions, grouped into four domains, covering key features of CT, including abstraction, decomposition, algorithmic thinking, and debugging and evaluation.
The data we analyze comes from a study to evaluate the reliability of the CT dimensions, in which 17 trained raters each scored 14 pre-recorded lessons. After completing the scoring process, we interviewed the raters to collect information on their experiences with the rubric, focusing on its formative use and ease of use as a scoring tool. This paper uses the interview data to explore how the raters used the rubric to reflect on their teaching practices.
Across both subjects, the raters noted that the rubric guided reflection on their teaching practice, especially on the opportunities to incorporate CT into their lessons. Raters valued the rubric’s focus on social justice, allowing them to reflect on how to make their practice more attuned to students’ interests. Additionally, raters indicated that they could see how the CT framework could be applied beyond Computer Science (e.g., Math, Science, ELA, History). They also found that the focus of the rubric on CT was especially relevant in the current context, where artificial intelligence is more prevalent in students’ lives.
In math, raters frequently mentioned that using the rubric prompted them to evaluate their current teaching methods critically and consider incorporating CT principles better. Math raters noted that the examples in the rubric and the concrete applications in the lessons they observed helped them think about opportunities to integrate CT into their practice. Similarly, the rubric encouraged a structured approach to help them align their lessons more closely with CT objectives.
On the other hand, science raters found the rubric particularly useful in highlighting areas where data analysis and real-world applications of science could be more effectively linked to CT. The rubric’s dimensions related to data relevance and exploring social justice issues were especially impactful in science classrooms. These dimensions prompted science educators to think about how they could make inquiry more relevant to students by connecting it to broader societal issues, thus enhancing the real-world applicability of their lessons.
Using the CT rubric provided significant formative benefits for educators in science and math. It helped raters critically assess their teaching practices, align their instruction with CT principles, and enhance the relevance of their lessons. The raters especially valued the concrete examples in the rubric and the possibility of viewing the practices in the lessons they scored.

Author

• Maria-Paz Fernandez, University of California - Los Angeles