Author
Hilarie Nickerson
Bio: Hilarie Nickerson is an academic researcher from University of Colorado Boulder. The author has contributed to research in topics: Computational thinking & Game design. The author has an hindex of 7, co-authored 10 publications receiving 339 citations.
Papers
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TL;DR: The Scalable Game Design curriculum is developed based on a strategy to integrate CS education into the regular school curriculum and an approach called Computational Thinking Pattern Analysis has been developed to measure and correlate computational thinking skills relevant to game design and simulations.
Abstract: An educated citizenry that participates in and contributes to science technology engineering and mathematics innovation in the 21st century will require broad literacy and skills in computer science (CS). School systems will need to give increased attention to opportunities for students to engage in computational thinking and ways to promote a deeper understanding of how technologies and software are used as design tools. However, K-12 students in the United States are facing a broken pipeline for CS education. In response to this problem, we have developed the Scalable Game Design curriculum based on a strategy to integrate CS education into the regular school curriculum. This strategy includes opportunities for students to design and program games and science technology engineering and mathematics simulations. An approach called Computational Thinking Pattern Analysis has been developed to measure and correlate computational thinking skills relevant to game design and simulations. Results from a study with more than 10,000 students demonstrate rapid adoption of this curriculum by teachers from multiple disciplines, high student motivation, high levels of participation by women, and interest regardless of demographic background.
148 citations
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12 Aug 2013TL;DR: A novel pedagogical framework is presented, which integrates Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development theory with Csikszentmihalyi's ideas about Flow, to provide students with appropriate challenges using a project-first based approach that aims to keep students in Flow.
Abstract: This paper presents a novel pedagogical framework, entitled the Zones of Proximal Flow, which integrates Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development theory with Csikszentmihalyi's ideas about Flow. Flow focuses on the individual-- an individual is in Flow when challenges are balanced with skills. The Zone of Proximal Development, on the other hand, brings in a social learning aspect focusing on a student's ability to learn concepts with external support. From our research experiences bringing game and simulation design into middle school classrooms, we attempt to provide students with appropriate challenges using a project-first based approach that aims to keep students in Flow. The project-first approach employs inquiry based scaffolding to guide students, with appropriate support by their teachers, through Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development, back in to Csikszentmihalyi's state of Flow for an ideal learning experience. We call this space the Zones of Proximal Flow. Data indicate that the Zones of Proximal Flow approach works, keeping classrooms engaged in the act of game design and enabling students to advance to more complex program creations.
77 citations
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28 Aug 2014TL;DR: The proposed REACT (Real Time Evaluation and Assessment of Computational Thinking) system is a first step toward allowing teachers to see which high-level concepts students have mastered and which ones they are struggling with as students code in real time.
Abstract: This paper suggests a Cyberlearning tool based on a highly innovative assessment methodology that helps teachers with computer science education. Currently, there is a strong push to integrate aspects of programming and coding into the classroom environment. However, few if any tools exist that enable real-time formative assessment of in-class programming tasks. The proposed REACT (Real Time Evaluation and Assessment of Computational Thinking) system is a first step toward allowing teachers to see which high-level concepts students have mastered and which ones they are struggling with as students code in real time. REACT supports and facilitates the teaching of 21st century computing skills such as computational thinking [1] in the classroom environment.
45 citations
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TL;DR: The differences between 2D and 3D regarding three concepts connecting computer graphics to computer science education: ownership, spatial thinking, and syntonicity are discussed.
Abstract: Visual programming in 3D sounds much more appealing than programming in 2D, but what are its benefits? Here, University of Colorado Boulder educators discuss the differences between 2D and 3D regarding three concepts connecting computer graphics to computer science education: ownership, spatial thinking, and syntonicity.
41 citations
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21 Jun 2014TL;DR: Initial data from this validation study indicates that CTPA correlates well with human grading and that it can even be used to predict students' future achievement levels given their current skill progression, making CTPA a potentially invaluable computational thinking evaluation tool for teachers.
Abstract: End-user game design affords teachers a unique opportunity to integrate computational thinking concepts into their classrooms. However, it is not always apparent in game and simulation projects what computational thinking-related skills students have acquired. Computational Thinking Pattern Analysis (CTPA) enables teachers to visualize which of nine specific skills students have mastered in game design that can then be used to create simulations. CTPA has the potential to automatically recognize and calculate student computational thinking skills, as well as to map students' computational thinking skill progression, as they proceed through the curriculum. The current research furthers knowledge of CTPA by exploring its validity based on how its performance correlates to human grading of student games. Initial data from this validation study indicates that CTPA correlates well with human grading and that it can even be used to predict students' future achievement levels given their current skill progression, making CTPA a potentially invaluable computational thinking evaluation tool for teachers.
36 citations
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01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: The flow the psychology of optimal experience is universally compatible with any devices to read as mentioned in this paper and is available in our digital library an online access to it is set as public so you can get it instantly.
Abstract: Thank you very much for downloading flow the psychology of optimal experience. As you may know, people have search numerous times for their chosen readings like this flow the psychology of optimal experience, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of tea in the afternoon, instead they juggled with some harmful bugs inside their desktop computer. flow the psychology of optimal experience is available in our digital library an online access to it is set as public so you can get it instantly. Our digital library saves in multiple countries, allowing you to get the most less latency time to download any of our books like this one. Merely said, the flow the psychology of optimal experience is universally compatible with any devices to read.
1,993 citations
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TL;DR: CACM is really essential reading for students, it keeps tabs on the latest in computer science and is a valuable asset for us students, who tend to delve deep into a particular area of CS and forget everything that is happening around us.
Abstract: Communications of the ACM (CACM for short, not the best sounding acronym around) is the ACM’s flagship magazine. Started in 1957, CACM is handy for keeping up to date on current research being carried out across all topics of computer science and realworld applications. CACM has had an illustrious past with many influential pieces of work and debates started within its pages. These include Hoare’s presentation of the Quicksort algorithm; Rivest, Shamir and Adleman’s description of the first publickey cryptosystem RSA; and Dijkstra’s famous letter against the use of GOTO. In addition to the print edition, which is released monthly, there is a fantastic website (http://cacm.acm. org/) that showcases not only the most recent edition but all previous CACM articles as well, readable online as well as downloadable as a PDF. In addition, the website lets you browse for articles by subject, a handy feature if you want to focus on a particular topic. CACM is really essential reading. Pretty much guaranteed to contain content that is interesting to anyone, it keeps tabs on the latest in computer science. It is a valuable asset for us students, who tend to delve deep into a particular area of CS and forget everything that is happening around us. — Daniel Gooch U ndergraduate research is like a box of chocolates: You never know what kind of project you will get. That being said, there are still a few things you should know to get the most out of the experience.
856 citations
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TL;DR: Examples of CT definitions, interventions, assessments, and models across a variety of disciplines are shown, with a call for more extensive research in this area.
578 citations
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471 citations
15 May 2015
TL;DR: In this article, a universally applicable attitude and skill set for computer science is presented, which is a set of skills and attitudes that everyone would be eager to learn and use, not just computer scientists.
Abstract: It represents a universally applicable attitude and skill set everyone, not just computer scientists, would be eager to learn and use.
430 citations