Anji Feng
Research Mentor: Mark Guzdial
Mentor Department: Program in Computing for the Arts and Sciences, LSA
Author(s): Mark Guzdial
Session: Session 2 (10:00 AM – 10:50 AM)
Presentation Type: Poster 12
Abstract
A new Michigan bill passed in 2025 require all public high schools to offer at least one CS course by 2027-28. However, not all schools can afford a standalone course or CS teacher. Some schools will face the challenge of integrating computational standards into existing subject areas. This research focuses on and provides potential solutions about how to make CS integration accessible for high school teachers and students with no programming background. Working with eight teachers through the CS Integration Pathways project, the research team co-designed educational tools that could be learned and used within ten minutes across humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The team developed discipline-specific tools including SageModeler templates for biodiversity projects in natural science classes, Snap! programming tools for precalculus courses, NetLogo models for microeconomics, and graphing language for social science courses. Through classroom testing and teacher surveys, the team found that some models were willing to be adopted, while others were hesitant to be used: teachers embraced tools that fit naturally into their existing lessons and teaching practices, while rejecting those requiring substantial upfront learning or major changes to their curriculum. The findings show that successful CS integration depends on honoring teachers’ disciplinary expertise and reducing implementation barriers. This research demonstrates that interdisciplinary computer science education is feasible when tools are co-designed by researchers and teachers and embedded in a real disciplinary context, providing a practical model for meeting the requirements of computer science without replacing existing courses.
