In partnership with Dr. Melissa Tehee (Psychology, USU) and her Tohi Lab, Dr. Litts and the LED Lab are working with Edith Bowen Laboratory School (K-6) to investigate how to collaboratively (re)design cross-cultural field experiences for sixth graders to effectively develop culturally competent citizen scholars. The key aim of the project is to cultivate connections across partners, cultures, and disciplines.
Storycoding
We explore how to support teaching and learning of computational thinking (CT) practices in interdisciplinary, age-appropriate contexts. To prepare youth to be computationally literate in a digital world economy, two key approaches have emerged aiming to make text-based programming more widely applicable, accessible, and age-appropriate.
Safe Passages for U
Culturally Responsive Making
Culturally Responsive Making: Developing High-Low Tech Maker Activities in Local and Mobile Spaces for Supporting American Indian Youth is a two-year, National Science Foundation (#1623404) funded project in collaboration with Arizona State University and the University of Pennsylvania. The goal of this project is to develop culturally responsive making activities and makerspaces with two Indigenous communities, one in Utah and one in Arizona.
Learning Analytics in ARIS
In partnership with the Field Day Lab (David Gagnon) and Videogame Research (Dr. Dennis Ramirez), this project brings together computer, data, and learning designers and scientists to explore how the log data in a mobile development platform can shed light on youths’ learning in making and coding their games. Specifically, we examined ARIS (Augmented Reality and Interactive Storytelling), a narrative-based programming platform for non-programmers made up for a web-based editor and a client-based app.
Computational Making Scaffolds
To make computational making with visual programming tools more approachable for youth and interdisciplinary subjects, learning supports or scaffolds that will help 10-14 year old youth develop an interactive game narrative and then transition from their design ideas into the visual programming tool they are using are needed.
Computing with PocketCHIP
We explore how to support teaching and learning of computational thinking (CT) practices in interdisciplinary, age-appropriate contexts. To prepare youth to be computationally literate in a digital world economy, two key approaches have emerged aiming to make text-based programming more widely applicable, accessible, and age-appropriate.