Whyte, Robert
(2021)
Designing multimodal composition activities to support integrated primary programming and storytelling.
PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.
Abstract
A broad interest in embedding computer science (or computing) education in formal learning contexts has resulted in a proliferation of research on the teaching and learning of programming. Much of this research has focused on supporting learning in science, engineering, and mathematics (or STEM), as computing education is seen to promote problem solving (Wing, 2006), with much less work conducted in non-STEM (e.g., literacy) content areas. This thesis adds to this latter by investigating the potential for integrated computing and literacy education by proposing multimodal composition (MMC) as a framing device for supporting children’s storytelling and programming practices.
Employing a design-based research methodology, this thesis begins by reviewing literature on computing education, approaches to multimodal storytelling and prior work in fostering computational thinking. It then describes the development of a theory-driven curriculum design to support integrated programming and storytelling goals. Three empirical studies are reported that test and refine this design.
The first two studies test the curriculum design as part of an afterschool primary computing club. Process data generated included audio-recorded interactions between participants and facilitator, and student-generated data, including planning materials, project work, and screen recordings. These data were tested against the intervention goals using conjecture-based analyses to generate insights into the learning process. The results of these studies were then used to iterate the curriculum design. Analyses demonstrated where composing multimodal texts in a visual programming environment supported novice learners’ programming practices, such as algorithm design, program execution and loops, and visual storytelling practices, including representation choice, sequencing, and visual design. However, it also indicated areas where MMC was less successful in support learners’ programming practices, including conditional logic and variables, and storytelling, including descriptive (i.e., monomodal) writing.
The third empirical study consists of a teacher-led implementation of the curriculum unit during regular lessons. Findings demonstrate the potential for productive integration between programming and storytelling, but also highlight the challenges for teachers in embedding activities, particularly those that sit across curriculum boundaries, into their regular practice.
Findings from all studies are integrated to uncover their theoretical and practical implications for future work in this area and their overall contribution to knowledge.
Actions (Archive Staff Only)
 |
Edit View |
Tools
Tools
![[img]](/style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png)