This paper reports on a large clinical study with 193 children (Grades 3-6) who interacted with 12 digital math games during clinical interviews. Children completed a pretest, interacted with the digital math games, completed a posttest, and answered questions about their interactions with the games. During the interviews, researchers used two…

In this work we present the design of a computer-based environment aimed at engaging primary school children in argumentative practices while solving a story problem. Argumentation has been regarded from two points of view, both as a process and as a product. Students, using the collaborative tools offered by the platform, co-constructed shared…

Moving among levels of abstraction is an important skill in mathematics and computer science, and students show similar difficulties when applying abstraction in each discipline. While computer science educators have examined ways to explicitly teach students how to consciously navigate levels of abstraction, these ideas have not been explored in…

Spatial visualization and mental rotations skills are considered a strong predictor of success in STEM fields (Wai, Lubinski, & Benbow, 2009). This study analyzed the malleability and amount of change in fourth through sixth grade students using the Revised PSVT:R. Participants engaged in a STEM camp driven by maker pedagogy and focused on the…

Declining academic achievement across U.S. schools, particularly in mathematics and science, has prompted several initiatives to increase the quality of teaching in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The National Science Foundation initiated the Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers (ITEST) program in…

Much research has been conducted in educational robotics, a new instructional technology, for K-12 education. However, there are arguments on the effect of robotics and limited empirical evidence to investigate the impact of robotics in science learning. Also most robotics studies were carried in an informal educational setting. This study…

Computer technology, when coupled with reform-based teaching practices, has been shown to be an effective way to support student learning of mathematics. The quality of the technology itself, as well as how it is used, impacts how much students learn. Interactive simulations are dynamic virtual environments similar to virtual manipulatives that…

With the rapid expansion of broadband Internet connection and availability of high performance yet low priced computers, many countries around the world are advocating the adoption of e-learning, the use of computer technology to improve learning and teaching. The trend of e-learning has urged many teachers to incorporate online resources in their…

This article reports findings from a study examining how altered readability levels affected struggling readers' (N = 288) comprehension of scientific concepts and vocabulary. Specifically, the researchers were interested in learning what effect altered readability levels have when low ability readers participate in a technology-based science…

This study evaluated the effects of a personalized computer-assisted mathematics problem-solving program on the performance and attitude of Taiwanese fourth grade students. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the personalized computer-assisted program improved student performance and attitude over the nonpersonalized program.…

The current study describes an authentic learning experience designed to develop technology and science process skills through a carefully scaffolded curriculum using mealworms as a content focus. An individual mentor assigned to each 4th and 5th grade girl participating in the program delivered the curriculum. Results indicate mastery of science…