Educational games have been increasingly used to improve students’ computational thinking. However, most existing games have focused on the theoretical knowledge of computational thinking, ignoring the development of computational thinking skills. Moreover, there is a lack of integration of adaptivity into educational computer games for computational thinking, which is crucial to addressing individual needs in developing computational thinking skills. In this study, we present an adaptive educational computer game, called AutoThinking, for developing students’ computational thinking skills in addition to their conceptual knowledge. To evaluate the effects of the game, we conducted an experimental study with 79 elementary school students in Estonia, where the experimental group learned with AutoThinking, while the control group used a traditional technology-enhanced learning approach. Our findings show that learning with the adaptive educational computer game significantly improved students’ computational thinking related to both conceptual knowledge and skills. Moreover, students using the adaptive educational computer game showed a significantly higher level of interest, satisfaction, flow state, and technology acceptance in learning computational thinking. Implications of the findings are also discussed.
Kaasava hariduse teemalise õpetajakoolituse arendamine on aktuaalne nii Eestis kui ka rahvusvaheliselt. Õpetajate oskuste ja teadmiste kujundamisel on otsustav roll spetsialistidel, kes õpetajaid koolitavad või nõustavad. Seejuures on tähtis, et spetsialistid omaksid ühist arusaama kaasava hariduse tähendusest ning tõhusatest rakendamise viisidest. Siinse uuringu eesmärk oli välja selgitada, kuidas mõistavad õpetajaid koolitavad või nõustavad spetsialistid kaasava hariduse tähendust ja milliseid tegureid nad peavad oluliseks, et tagada kaasava hariduse tõhus rakendumine. Andmeid koguti poolstruktureeritud intervjuudega 15 spetsialistilt. Kvalitatiivse induktiivse sisuanalüüsi tulemused näitasid, et kaasavat haridust mõisteti nii hariduslike erivajadustega laste eraldi õpetamisena eriklassides ja erikoolides kui ka kõigi laste koosõppena. Võtmekomponentidena kaasava hariduse paremal rakendumisel nähti õpetajate koolituse tõhustamist, vajalike ressursside olemasolu, õpetajate toetamist ja motiveerimist ning poolte senisest suuremat koostööd.
Summary
Abstract-This paper reports a validation study of the performance-based competency requirements model for initial teacher education. An assessment rubric of student teachers' performance-based competency requirements was developed in collaboration between Dutch and Estonian researchers and teacher educators. For the validation of the rubric a Delphi study was carried out. Teacher education experts (five in the Netherlands and 11 in Estonia) were asked to assess and comment on the model. This resulted, per context, in a high degree of consensus and support for the assessment rubric, involving five professional roles, 12 (Estonia) / 11 (The Netherlands) professional activities and five (Estonia) / four (The Netherlands) performance levels for each activity. Furthermore, the experts provide suggestions for assessment forms and required evidence (e.g., lesson plan, lesson observation and test including correction sheets) for the assessment of the professional activities The contribution of this study is an identified and formulated set of roles, professional activities and performance levels that can serve as an assessment rubric for performance-based teacher education. The next step is to implement the rubric and associated assessment forms in an electronic portfolio-system aimed at assessing and guiding student teachers' professional development.Index Terms-Delphi study, workplace-based learning, initial teacher education, entrusted professional activities, rubric assessment.
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