This article is an attempt to contribute to the discourse on the essence of scientific and engineering thinking by presenting a cognitive framework that is aligned with views from epistemology, cognitive and neurosciences and supported by empirical data from computational sciences. By merging and synthesizing relevant concepts from these fields, we present a theoretical framework that links scientific and engineering thinking to our typical fundamental cognitive functions, which could then be promoted at early grades. To examine our viewpoint, we designed a multi-year quasi-experimental study involving use of computational tools and teacher professional development to support scientific and engineering practices for grades 7 through 12. A mixed-methods analysis of qualitative and quantitative data on teaching and learning from more than 300 teachers in 13 urban and 2 suburban secondary schools reveals consistent improvements to student engagement and achievement, thereby lending support both to our cognitive framework and computational tools we are suggesting for promoting scientific and engineering practices at K-12.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9474-8137
State University of New York, Brockport
[biography]
Osman Yasar is an endowed professor and director of the CMST Institute at The College at Brockport, SUNY. He established the first undergraduate degree program in computational science in the United States and developed a computational pedagogical content knowledge (CPACK) framework for teacher education. His research interests include engineering and science education, computational pedagogy, computational and scientific thinking as well as fluid dynamics, engine ignition modeling, and parallel computing. Yasar has a PhD in engineering physics and two MSs in computer science and nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He graduated with a BS in engineering physics and a MS in theoretical physics from Hacettepe University in Turkey. Contact him at oyasar@brockport.edu.
Jose Maliekal is the Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at The College at Brockport, State University of New York. He is an atmospheric scientist and have been teaching meteorology and climatology courses. His research interests include climate change and computational pedagogy.
Address: School of Arts and Sciences, The College at Brockport, Brockport, NY 14420 Phone: 585-395-5598 Email: jmalieka@brockport.edu
Peter Veronesi is Associate Professor and Program Coordinator for the Adolescence Science Education Programs at The College at Brockport.
Leigh Little received his doctorate in Mathematics from Arizona State University. He is currently a member of the Department of Earth Sciences at SUNY Brockport.
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