Journal article
Toward a debugging pedagogy: helping students learn to get unstuck with physical computing systems
Information and learning science, v 124(1/2), pp 1-24
28 Feb 2023
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how a middle school science teacher, new to programming, supports students in learning to debug physical computing systems consisting of programmable sensors and data displays.
Design/methodology/approach
This case study draws on data collected during an inquiry-oriented instructional unit in which students learn to collect, display and interpret data from their surrounding environment by wiring and programming a physical computing system. Using interaction analysis, the authors analyzed video recordings of one teacher's (Gabrielle) pedagogical moves as she supported students in debugging their systems as they drew upon a variety of embodied, material and social resources.
Findings
This study presents Gabrielle's debugging interactional grammar, highlighting the pedagogical possibilities for supporting students in systematic ways, providing affective support (e.g. showing them care and encouragement) and positioning herself as a learner with the students. Gabrielle's practice, and therefore her pedagogy, has the potential to support students in becoming better debuggers on their own in the future.
Originality/value
While much of the prior work on learning to debug focuses on learner actions and possible errors, this case focuses on an educator's debugging pedagogy centered on the educator debugging with the learners. This case study illustrates the need for educators to exhibit deft facilitation, vulnerability and orchestration skills to support student development of their own process for and agency in debugging.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Toward a debugging pedagogy: helping students learn to get unstuck with physical computing systems
- Creators
- Colin Hennessy Elliott - Drexel University, Teaching, Learning, and CurriculumAlexandra Gendreau Chakarov - San Jose State UniversityJeffrey B. Bush - University of Colorado BoulderJessie Nixon - Weber State UniversityMimi Recker - Utah State University
- Publication Details
- Information and learning science, v 124(1/2), pp 1-24
- Publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing
- Number of pages
- 24
- Grant note
- James S. McDonnell Foundation National Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000907649900001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-85145733684
- Other Identifier
- 991021861194404721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Information Science & Library Science