Integrating Computational Thinking into Middle School Science Instruction
Across the country, schools are pushing to give students deeper experiences with data, modeling, and real‑world problem solving. But without guidance, many science teachers struggle to incorporate computational thinking practices that drive authentic scientific inquiry.
Computational thinking is foundational to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning, yet remains largely absent from typical middle school science instruction.
The growing role of computation in science demands that K–12 science educators, particularly in-service teachers, have opportunities to learn how to integrate computational thinking into their instruction.
– Eric Greenwald, Lawrence Hall of Science
Integrating Computational Thinking in Science is a four-year NSF-funded initiative led by AIR and the Lawrence Hall of Science to develop and study a scalable professional learning model for middle school science teachers. The project aims to build teachers’ professional vision and adaptive expertise for integrating computational thinking into existing science curricula.
Through a combination of summer workshops, ongoing instructional coaching, and an online professional learning community, teachers will learn to design and enact computational thinking-integrated lessons, impacting over 1,000 students.
AIR leads implementation, evaluation, and professional development; the Lawrence Hall of Science leads curriculum development.
Key findings will inform future teacher learning models and broaden participation in STEM.
