Studying Synergistic Learning of Physics and Computational Thinking in a Learning by Modeling Environment

Abstract

Synergistic learning of computational thinking (CT) and STEM has proven to effective in helping students develop better understanding of STEM topics, while simulta- neously acquiring CT concepts and practices. With the ubiquity of computational devices and tools, advances in technology, and the globalization of product development, it is im- portant for our students to not only develop multi-disciplinary skills acquired through such synergistic learning opportunities, but to also acquire key collaborative learning and prob- lem-solving skills. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a collabo- rative learning-by-modeling environment developed for high school physics classrooms. We develop systematic rubrics and discuss the results of key evaluation schemes to ana- lyze collaborative synergistic learning of physics and CT concepts and practices.