Learning Computational Thinking Practices Through Agent-Based Modeling in an Informal Setting

In this qualitative study, I investigated the form of interaction when learners co-constructed computational thinking practices in an informal setting. This study focuses on roles five youth, three adult mentors, and a facilitator during summer camp documents how interacted to exchange ideas, collaborate, accommodate other perspectives. Participants used questions that promote deep engage interactions. Analysis data shows developed including interpreting, modeling connections real-world, manipulating parameters, discovering ideas explore models, prompting, conjecturing, making predictions working agent-based writing codes NetLogo. These are further grouped together as model interpretation connection real world, parameter manipulation discovery, prompting exploring, predictions/conjectures generalizing. also finds some community-based such practical wisdom, trying something adjusting, use network resources relevant develop practices.