This study explores the impact of three alternative grading systems--specifications grading, standards-based grading (SBG), and ungrading--on student motivation, engagement, stress, enjoyment, and perceptions of fairness. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted with students from mathematics, computer science, and statistics courses.…

This contribution explores the teaching of graph theory in the context of engineering education. We examine how teachers use collectively designed resources in terms of their backgrounds. After a literature review, we justify the choice to develop an analytical framework for studying the materials in terms of connections to be established in the…

In this paper, we finish describing the project and the experimentation of "Ricerca Operativa Applicazioni Reali" (ROAR; in English, Real Applications of Operations Research), a three-year project for higher secondary schools. ROAR is composed of three teaching units addressed to grades 10, 11, and 12, respectively. To improve students'…

The calls for reasoning and proof to have a prominent place in secondary mathematics classrooms raise the question of knowledge that teachers need to support student learning of reasoning and proof. Several conceptualizations of Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Proof (MKT-P) have been proposed over the years, yet some key questions about the…

Maintaining the teacher workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been a perpetual challenge in US public schools' teaching rosters. Prior reports show the supply of new STEM teachers into the profession has declined over time while demand for instruction in STEM fields continues to grow. This paper seeks to…

In this paper we discuss the types of knowledge used by six middle school students as they engaged with a debugging task designed to integrate ideas from computer science, mathematics and science. Our findings show that the computational thinking practice of debugging is a rich source of opportunities to integrate these different disciplines. The…

Computing has become essential in modern-day problem-solving, making computational literacy necessary for practicing scientists and engineers. However, K-12 science education has not reflected this computational shift. Integrating computational thinking (CT) into core science courses is an avenue that can build computational literacies in all…

Over its short disciplinary history, computing has seen a stunning number of descriptions of the field's characteristic ways of thinking and practicing, under a large number of different labels. One of the more recent variants, notably in the context of K-12 education, is "computational thinking", which became popular in the early 2000s,…

The transition from Key Stage 4 (KS4) to post-16 education marks a shift from a broad programme of study (around 8-10 subjects) to a narrower programme (usually 1-4 subjects). Within the constraints of course availability and entry criteria, students must make important choices. Students' post-16 pathways matter because different subjects as well…

The paper discusses a certain type of competitions based on distance interaction of a participant with simulation models of concepts from discrete mathematics and computer science. One of them is the "Construct, Test, Explore" (CTE) competition, developed by the authors, the other is the Olympiad in Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical…

The purpose of this study is to introduce a developed activity which is named "CityMap" and to present an example of the implementation and evaluation process of a computer science unplugged activity through this activity. The aim of this activity is to write algorithms of going from one place to another using step by step instructions.…

Background: The coronavirus pandemic has caused a shift in how many teaching, learning and research activities are conducted internationally. Lockdowns compelled all education sectors, including higher education (HE), to adopt a variety of online learning practices at short notice. As these changes in practice have implications beyond the…

Data Structures and Algorithms are a central part of Computer Science. Due to their abstract and dynamic nature, they are a difficult topic to learn for many students. To alleviate these learning difficulties, instructors have turned to algorithm visualizations (AV) and AV systems. Research has shown that especially engaging AVs can have an impact…

In this essay, Mingda Sun, a high school student from Connecticut, recounts her summer research internship opportunity at the Center for Quantitative Medicine of UConn Health. She discusses her learning experiences, the challenges she faced, and the encouragement she received from her mentors and peers and explains how this month-long internship…

The aim of this research was to determine the standard that was effectively applied to General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSE) and A levels in June 2020 by the decision to accept the maximum of the centre-assessed grade and the calculated grade. The data for this analysis came from the results tables for GCSEs and A levels in 2019 and…