4 Color Map Study

[John Heffernan]

Here's a project that may of interest to this group.  I will be starting the research piece shortly.  I have read the papers and am writing the lit review now.  Here's the abstract and reference list.  If I am missing any important papers, let me know. 

Computer science is usually thought of as complex subject bested suited for college students.  Can computer science concepts and classic computer science problems be adapted for elementary students so that young children can engage with them in a deep way?   The Four Color Map Problem was adapted for elementary students to explore.  I examine the results of giving this problem to elementary students, both regular and advanced, and also examine differences in how doctoral level students in math and science education approached the same lesson.  Results of a qualitative examination of the progression of drawings and commentary used to prove or disprove the 4 Color Map Problem with the various cohorts in this study are given.  The lesson is also examined the lesson in terms of constructivism, inquiry based teaching and learning, and teacher or student centeredness. I examine how the lesson relates to developmental notions of mathematical proof and how notions of big ideas in mathematics and science might apply to computer science.  Finally, improvements to the original lesson plan are suggested as a result of experimental results, theoretical frameworks, and extant research on elementary computer science teaching and learning.    

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Bell, T., Witten, I. H., Fellows, M., Adams, R., & McKenzie, J. (2005). Computer Science Unplugged: An enrichment and extension programme for primary-aged children. Retrieved from http://ir.canterbury.ac.nz/handle/10092/247
Brennan, K., & Resnick, M. (n.d.). New frameworks for studying and assessing the development of computational thinking. Retrieved from http://web.media.mit.edu/~kbrennan/files/Brennan_Resnick_AERA2012_CT.pdf
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Casey, N., & Fellows, M. R. (1997). Implementing the standards: Let’s focus on the first four. Discrete mathematics in the schools, 36, 51.
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[Tim Bell]

Thanks for that John...

Have you come across Sarah Caruthers’ work? http://stormyshores.ca/scaresothers/Publications.html

She’s done quite a bit on graphs with school students.

We’ll be interested in any results – the new field guide has a placeholder for something on the colouring problem :-)
http://www.cosc.canterbury.ac.nz/csfieldguide/student/Complexity%20and%20tractability.html#other-intractable-problems

Cheers,
tim