Work in progress: STEM-based computing educational resources on the web

This work in progress explores the landscape of computing learning resources and environments found on the web together with teaching and learning materials that can facilitate the integration of “computational thinking” into the K-12 classroom. In specific, this paper focuses in finding and describing existing learning environments that integrate computational thinking into a STEM discipline together with lesson plans, activities and other curricula.

Introduction

Computing is increasingly used to extend the capabilities and therefore findings of scientific research. For example, computing has further enabled scientific breakthroughs by facilitating researchers through computerized instrumentation and detailed simulations to generate, visualize, and understand large amounts of scientific data that have radically allowed new understandings. In tandem with the pervasive role of computing in science and engineering, there is a growing recognition of the importance of computational thinking.