Computational Pedagogy: Fostering a New Method of Teaching

Abstract

Osman Yasar is an endowed professor and director of the CMST Institute at The College at Brockport, SUNY. He established the first undergraduate degree program in computational science in the United States and developed a computational pedagogical content knowledge (CPACK) framework for teacher professional development. His research interests include engineering and science education, computational pedagogy, computational theory of mind, fluid and particle dynamics, engine ignition modeling, and parallel computing. Yasar has a PhD in engineering physics and MS degrees in computer science and nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He also has BS and MS degrees in physics from Hacettepe University-Ankara. He co-founded a national supercomputer center and a doctoral program in computational science and engineering at Istanbul Technical University. Ibrahim Halil Yeter, Texas Tech UniversityIbrahim H. Yeter is currently a PhD candidate in the Curriculum and Instruction program at the College of Education, and at the same time, he is pursuing his Master's degree in Petroleum Engineering at Texas Tech University. He is highly interested in conducting research within the Engineering Education framework. Mr. Yeter plans to graduate in December 2016 with both degrees and is looking forward to securing a teaching position within a research university and continuing his in-depth research on Engineering Education.He is one of two scholarships awarded by NARST (National Association for Research in Science Teaching) to attend the ESERA (European Science Education Research Association) summer research conference inČeské Budějovice, Czech Republic in August 2016. In addition, he has been named as one of 14 Jhumki Basu Scholars by the NARST's Equity and Ethics Committee in 2014. He is the first and only individual from his native country and Texas Tech University to have received this prestigious award. Furthermore, he was a recipient of the Texas Tech University President's Excellence in Diversity & Equity award in 2014 and was the only graduate student to have received the award, which was granted based on outstanding activities and projects that contribute to a better understanding of equity and diversity issues within Engineering Education. Computational Pedagogy: Fostering a New Method of Teaching AbstractTeaching with technology still remains as a challenge. Making judicious choices of when, what and how specific tools and pedagogies to use in the teaching of a topic can be improved with the help of curriculum inventories, training, and practices but as new and more capable technologies arrive, such resources and experience do not often transfer to new circumstances. This article presents a case study in which computational modeling and simulation technology (CMST) is used to improve technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of teachers. We report findings of a summer training program for both preservice and in-service teachers in the Northeastern United States. CMST has shown to be effect...

The Impact of a STEM Inquiry Game Learning Scenario on Computational Thinking and Computer Self-confidence

“…The term Computational Pedagogy was introduced by Yasar et al (2016) as an extension of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) and was called Computational Pedagogical Content Knowledge (CPACK). Yasar (2013, pp.…”

“…Yasar et al (2016, pp. 1) propose a model (CMST) in which "computational modeling and simulation technology (CMST) is used to improve technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) of teachers". According to Yasar et al (2016), "when mathematics, computing, and sciences are integrated, "their integration gives birth not only to a new content domain of computational science, as witnessed by degree programs in the past two decades but also a particular computational pedagogy. This multi-faceted interdisciplinary knowledge domain has been called Psycharis (2015,2016), Psycharis and Kotzampasaki (2017), and discussed the spaces of the computational experiment and proposed inquiry based activities at each space.…”

The essence of computational thinking and tools to promote it

“…Since learning sciences suggest that students should learn science the way scientists do their work, 1,15 these tools have long been considered important for offering students a chance to learn science in the way that scientists think and work. A growing body of educational research 4,[16][17][18]20,22,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33] now identifies modeling and simulation as a tool for inquiry-guided (inductive) learning because it supports constructive and independent investigation of questions, problems and issues.…”

“…We will then explore how computational modeling and simulation tools (CMSTs) might help us link electronic and biological CT by designing a quasi-experimental study with empirical data from a diverse set of K-12 schools. Details of the study were given at earlier publications, [27][28][29][30][31][32] but their relevance to cognitive skills is a new undertaking. 33…”

“…6,12,[16][17] Furthermore, modeling and simulation has been found to support deductive and inductive approaches to teaching as well. 20,22,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] So, judging from its utilization in both scientific research and teaching, one might say that modeling and simulation is a common process through which electronic computers and biological computing agents can resonate.…”