Broadening Participation Research Project: Visualizing Computational Solutions to Improve Computational Thinking in Science Courses

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) through Broadening Participation Research (BPR) in STEM Education projects supports the development, implementation, and study of new theory-driven models and innovations related to the participation and success of underrepresented groups in STEM undergraduate education. It is expected that the award will further the faculty member's research capability, as well as improve the recruitment, retention, and success of underrepresented groups in STEM education and the workforce.

The project at Spelman College seeks to investigate the extent to which the visual representations in iFLOW (a block-based programming tool) can reduce barriers for underrepresented groups to computational thinking relative to traditional text-based programming. Specifically, the proposal outlines efforts to develop and implement innovative curriculum materials that support students in physics and chemistry courses to visualize computational solutions to science problems, as well as identify the needed computational thinking skills and attitudes for computationally focused careers.

Computational thinking is the practice or thought process of applying fundamental computer science concepts to solve problems. The main goal of this project is to create a systematic approach to the development of computational thinking and skills for students taking undergraduate courses in physics and chemistry. The project intends to define the attributes and outcomes for these courses, to identify student barriers to the integration of computations in these courses, and to develop intervention strategies to overcome these barriers, as well as to propose a pathway to the development of computational thinking and skills in the physics and chemistry undergraduate curriculum.

The project will test the suitability of block-based programming in overcoming certain barriers in the progression towards text-based programming, as well as formulate appropriate assessment for computational thinking in physics and chemistry courses. The project aims to determine and utilize intervention methods that are scaffolded throughout the academic curricula to enhance computational thinking skills in Spelman students and overcome common barriers to self-efficacy in data-driven fields.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.