This study examines how a middle school science teacher helped her students refine their everyday thinking through model-based reasoning (MBR). We examine the pedagogical moves used by the teacher, Ms. K, to engage her students in MBR during a seven-day unit on energy conservation. Ms. K co-designed the unit with our research team, using modeling activities to help students articulate, examine, and refine their thinking. The unit was structured around five modeling activities 1) a paper roller coaster, 2) a can crusher, 3) a car ramp, 4) a discussion of the can crusher and car ramp and 5) a roller coaster simulation. We use thematic analysis to characterize the MBR-related moves enacted by Ms. K. We then apply epistemic network analysis (ENA) to examine the pattern of Ms. K's moves within and across the modeling activities and illustrate frequent co-occurrences of moves with instrumental case studies. We provide examples of student work to illustrate how Ms. K's moves helped students develop their model-based explanations. Our findings illuminate the variability in Ms. K's moves within and across the modeling activities and their productivity for helping students articulate and refine their thinking. The study contributes to the growing literature on asset-based instructional design and engaging students in modeling practices in science education.

It is widely agreed that science instruction should help students build new knowledge on the foundation of their prior knowledge. Responsive teaching refers to a family of teaching strategies that pursue and build on student ideas. We introduce a particular approach to responsive teaching and examine how it can be supported by the use of computational models. We analyse an 8th grade science teacher’s facilitation of a class discussion near the end of a lesson on sound. We present a moment-by-moment characterisation of her responsive teaching moves, highlighting the ways she used a computational model to help students articulate and examine their thinking. Our findings make empirical contributions to literature concerned with responsive teaching and literature concerned with the role of computational models in constructivist approaches to instruction.

Imagery is a cognitive process commonly used in sports in which athletes internally or externally visualize themselves performing a skill, allowing them to create an internal experience similar to the physical event. It is intended to allow participants to refine and perfect their performance. This paper investigates the use of imagery in the setting of computer programming. We explore the idea that watching a keystroke replay of yourself writing computer code that solves a specific problem can increase the speed and quality of a subsequent attempt at solving a similar problem as well as improve attitude and engagement. We investigate the theory of imagery, its application to computer programming, and we present results of a qualitative study. Our results suggest that using imagery could have a positive effect on the profitability of spending time reviewing code.

Syntax is a barrier to success for many students in Introductory Computer Programming (CS1). A supplemental approach to standard CS1 curricula that has gained attention recently is a "syntax-scaffolded" or "syntax-first" approach where students practice necessary syntax before a lesson on problem solving or program design. In this study, we analyze student perceptions of a syntax-first teaching method. For the first five weeks of a university semester, we assigned students syntax exercises to complete before coming to class. At the end of the semester they were given a prompt asking them to write their thoughts about the exercises. A qualitative approach was used to investigate student responses and understand perceived value of the exercises. Our results show a strong positive reaction to a syntax-first approach as well as an awareness among students of the exercises' effect on their own learning.

This paper investigates the idea of teaching programming language syntax before problem solving in Introductory Computer Programming (CS1). Theories of procedural skill acquisition imply that syntax should be taught with a pedagogy and curriculum quite different from that used in teaching problem solving. We draw from this literature to propose a practice-based pedagogy and curriculum to teach students syntax before they learn its application, something we call a "syntax-first" pedagogy, which uses skilled performance in syntax to scaffold learning of problem solving. We report results of a controlled study investigating whether learning syntax using pedagogy suitable for procedural skill acquisition (e.g. repetitive practice) prior to learning problem solving influences student performance. A syntax-first pedagogy is complementary to almost any other teaching approach: in our study, simply adding carefully designed syntax exercises to an existing CS1 course resulted in higher exam scores, lower student attrition, and evidence that plagiarism rates may be lower.