Computer Science in Science PD: Computational Thinking And The Framework For K-12 Science Education - Discussion

Continue the discussion:

This discussion forum continues on the Project GUTS online professional development network at https://teacherswithGUTS.org/discussions.

Reflect on your identity as a Science teacher, what do you aspire to? Then reflect on how learning to integrate Computer Science in Science through modeling and simulation relates to your professional goals, and identity?

Post your thoughts to the forum below, and come back later to read other entries and comment on another teacher’s response.


This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at http://studio.code.org/s/sciencePD/stage/9/puzzle/4

As a middle school science teacher I like to see myself as someone who hopefully inspires curiosity and a love for science in my students. In my role at the community college it is my goal to take early elementary majors who, for the most part strongly dislike science, and help them realize that science is not some hard mysterious subject that they will never understand, but rather a way of approaching problems and finding answers to questions that help explain the world around them. I feel that computer science is a great tool to use in accomplishing both of these goals.

3 Likes

As a secondary science teacher, I aspire to teach my student scientific skills to help them be successful in future science courses. I also aspire to help my students learn how to think like scientists. Integrating Computer Science in Science through modeling and simulation will allow students to act as “Scientists” and go through the inquiry process.

1 Like

I see my self as a positive influence in my students lives. I encourage them to think outside the box and make goals and go after them. I try to instill a love for science and the world around us. Integrating computer science into my classes will allow my students to create something they probably have never attempted. Most of my students don’t have computers and technology available at home. This will hopefully let them feel empowered and curious and wanting more!

2 Likes

As a science teacher I am always looking for ways to relate what is being taught to real world issues. For example I had students learn how to create an EPI cure and had them plug in real data from the Ebola out break in Africa. I would have loved to have the ability to have students create a simulation to see the spread and effects of the disease, to see if it matched real-world data. I see this program as an asset to my arsenal as a highly techie science teacher. i will be able to teach students skills that have real world application.

2 Likes

As a middle school science teacher, I try to instill a sense of curiosity and a love of learning. Learning to integrate CS in science will give my students relevant and exciting new experiences that they can build on in high school.

As a science teacher I am always looking for ways to relate what is being taught to real world issues. Using computational thinking I will be able to teach students skills that have real world application.

Since completing a masters in technology education I strive to continuously refine my teaching to include new technology. Students use technology everyday not really understanding the how or why behind what they are using. Empowering students to understand how technology works or why certain programs, simulators, etc are used will help them make better decisions and ultimately ask more questions.

I agree, computational thinking has huge application in the real world and should be considered a life long skill.

My goal as a science teacher is for students to live their knowledge. Students should experience the events and tasks that a scientist in the filed experiences. My goal is to turn my classroom into the work of “real” scientists and CS can help me get there.

My goal as a science teacher is for my students to act and model a scientist. I agree, computational thinking will empower my students to create and use computer models to answer their questions.

As a middle school science teacher I know not all my students will pursue science in their future. However, I want them to see that their is science in all we do. That the same processes used in science can be applied to so many aspects of their lives. I want them to learn how to seek answers, look for evidence and not accept everything they hear, read, or see. I want them to become informed, intelligent members of our society.

My identity as a teacher is to be the kind of role model for my students that they will remember my passion for learning and character and in turn want to aspire to that same passion of learning and be a person of great character. My professional goals can be achieved through integrating Computer Science in Science by helping my students to learn how to be a learner who disregards the size of the challenge and enjoys the journey of searching for answers.

As a science teacher I want to spark and/or fuel a curiosity for students to want to pursue science careers. Knowing more about computer sciences and their applications will add to my options to present to the students.

As a science teacher, I try to instill a love of science and learning in my students. Every time a student asks "how does science apply to me? by reminding them that they are a walking science experiment. Wouldn’t it be nice to know something about that experiment?

As a science teacher, my goal is to help students keep an open mind as to what their future may hold and their role in their own future is dependent upon their willingness to innovate and explore. Many students come to us wanting to be told what to do and when to do it. They want to be extrinsically rewarded by earning a grade. My hope is that they find intrinsic rewards far more satisfying. Integrating Computer Science into science through modeling and simulation will provide a much needed challenge to my gifted students and hopefully provide my less abstract-minded thinkers the intrinsic satisfaction and understanding needed to master the content.

My goal is always to make learning exciting and relevant for my students. I believe that by integrating computer science in science, students will be better able to think like a scientist to solve real-world problems.

I always strive to keep students engaged in learning. I think that by integrating computer science I can keep kids engaged, allow them to find success and possibly a new interest in programming and help them to connect these scientific ideas to real world problems. I hope to draw a bridge where students connect some real world problems that they experience with computer science and the science content they see in their regular science class.

As a physical science teacher I hope that students learn to use computers and technology to effectively solve everyday problems. I hope they learn to understand the process of Scientific method and incorporate that into the coding process. I hope they find this as an engaging and exciting way to solve problems and learn Science.

As a science teacher, my goal is to give students the tools to think critically in their every day lives. They should know to question everything and look for answers beyond what is in the textbook. I think this curriculum will fit nicely with my professional goals. I especially like the idea that students can set up the testbed and framework, let it run and then come up with questions and hypothesis about the simulation later. My favorite labs have always been those where the outcome is not a foregone conclusion going in.