In this manuscript, we describe a coding club we created and implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. We were purposeful in creating the club to: (a) focus on design and problem solving as the basis for learning computer coding and (b) include elements to improve the engagement of girls. We ran multiple iterations of a Girls Design with Code Club…

Code.org is a leading non-profit organization providing professional learning (PL) for K-12 teachers across the United States to advance computer science (CS) education. While PL is known to improve teaching practices and student outcomes in general education, CS, and gifted education, limited research has specifically examined how CS-focused PL…

Recent advancements in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) have drawn significant attention from educators and researchers. However, its effects on learners' programming performance, self-efficacy and learning processes remain inconclusive, while the mechanisms underlying its efficiency-enhancing potential are underexplored. This study…

Computer Programming Learners usually fail to get approved in introductory courses because solving problems using computers is a complex task. The most important reason for that failure is concerned with motivation; motivation strongly impacts on the learning process. In this paper we discuss how techniques like program animation, and automatic…

This study explores the integration of game play into an inclusive, hands-on computing project in Calculus class. The project is focused on designing and analyzing priority switches for applications competing for computational resources on embedded devices such as smart watches and tablets. By engaging students in real-world problem-solving…

Programming education consistently faces challenges in bridging theory with practice and fostering students' cognitive competencies. This 12-year longitudinal study (2011-2023) investigates an innovative competency-based teaching model in university C programming education that integrates six educational theories into a coherent framework with…

Despite high scores and abilities, girls lose interest in science and math throughout middle school. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the computer science research field will grow 19% by 2026; however, only 18% of the bachelor's degrees in computer science are earned by women in the United States (ComputerScience.org, 2021).…

Our online programming language courses have been developed for youngsters who are interested in computer programming. The courses were gamified with some common gamification elements: points, badges, incentives, immediate feedback and leaderboard. The developed Learning Management System (LMS) for our learning portal provides the chance to…

This research is focused on how to support students' acquisition of program construction skills through worked examples. Although examples have been consistently proven to be valuable for student's learning, the learning technology for computer science education lacks program construction examples with interactive elements that could engage…

The purpose of this paper is to investigate students' engagement in computational thinking (CT) and programming with MATLAB when solving a mathematical task in a programming course at the undergraduate level. The data collection method is participant observation of three groups of three students presented with a mathematical task to solve. The…

My dissertation is situated in the field of computer science education research, specifically, the learning and teaching of programming. This is a critical area to be studied, since, primarily, learning to program is difficult, but also, the need for programming knowledge and skills is growing, now more than ever. This research is particularly…

This article concludes a longitudinal study with the broader aim to explore learner development as a long-term, social process. One goal has been to inform the endeavours of improving student engagement, retention, as well as under-representation of certain demographics in computing. Students of two computer science-related study programmes…

There has been much attention given to the use of technology in education; mostly concentrating on physical artifacts of technology to facilitate teaching delivery but little mentioning technology as a cultural resource to organize the learning environment promoting social interaction among students and between teacher and students. This paper…

In response to a need to equip youth to become successful contributors to our growing digital economy, educators and researchers are exploring ways to incorporate computational thinking (CT) for all across curricular domains. In this paper, we take a place-based approach to examine how and what CT practices youth learn through designing mobile…

Background and Context: Elementary computer science (CS) can be engaging and challenging for some students with disabilities who struggle with complex problem solving. Objective: This study examined academic engagement of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in elementary CS instruction. Method: A mixed methods case study was used to study…