The ACMES project

Assimilating Computational and Mathematical thinking into Earth and Environmental Science

VISIT OUR ACMES WEBSITE!

This project designs, develops, and studies the effects of instructional modules that integrate computational and mathematical thinking with the Earth and environmental sciences in grades 5-7.

Project participants will include 25 teachers and approximately 2,820 students from low-performing schools, and the project will pursue the following objectives:

(1) Design and implement instructional modules that integrate computational and mathematical thinking into the Earth and environmental sciences in Grades 5, 6 and 7;

(2) Study and refine the instructional modules to monitor effects on student learning;

(3) Develop and conduct teacher professional development activities that support the integration of computational and mathematical thinking into the Earth and environmental sciences;

(4) Investigate teacher experiences and perceptions of integrating computational thinking into instruction for the purpose of learning how to support teachers in implementing these instructional practices; and

(5) Build a digital support platform to facilitate the development and use of the instructional modules and professional development and the proposed research.

ACMES Faculty Team: Michelle Zhu (PI), Nicole Panorkou (Co-PI), Bharath Samanthula (Co-PI), Pankaj Lal (Co-PI).

Current Graduate Research Assistants: Toni York, Su San Lim, Amanda Provost.

Funded through a STEM+C grant by the National Science Foundation.