2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The purpose of this WIP research paper is to explore high school STEM teachers’ perspectives on teaching computer programming through games and robotics in their classes. In response to high demands for software engineering and a decreased availability of programmers, interest in computing needs to start before higher education. Initiatives such as the creation of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for cross-cutting engineering and technology instruction in K-12 STEM classes. Yet, teachers still receive little to no training to teach computing or engineering in their STEM classes and are offered few opportunities to develop such skills. Further, there are no conclusive teaching methods and tools for teaching introductory computer programming and skills such as computational thinking, logical reasoning, and problem solving. Recent studies using games in the classroom have shown an increase in academic achievement, engagement, and motivation. Our research encompasses a qualitative, collective case-study design that investigates how high school STEM teachers can incorporate games, underutilized educational technology (e.g., robots, smartphones), and block-based programming to increase motivation and engagement in computer programming among high school students. Specifically, we seek to answer the following research question: How can teachers combine gamification of learning and robotics to teach computer programming? Our case study implements an intervention where we train high school teachers to teach computational thinking through a game that leverages problem solving, block programming, and robotics. Guided by the gamification of learning (a motivating, active learning technique), the game imitates a real-life scenario in healthcare where a robot needs to deliver a package (e.g., medication, food) to a sick patient. To simulate the scenario, students will program a LEGO® SPIKE™ robot using block coding to complete the task. The LEGO® SPIKE™ computer application is designed using block-based coding similar to applications such as Scratch. However, unlike 2D visualization in Scratch, you can connect the code to a 3D component (the LEGO® SPIKE™ robot). After collaborating with the high school STEM teachers, we will interview them about their perceptions on this teaching framework and we will observe their teaching when implementing the game lesson. Data will then be coded and analyzed using thematic analysis to find out the change in preparedness and engagement towards teaching computer science. The computer science lesson planning will follow state standards and guidelines and provide opportunities for students to use their computational thinking skills.