Incorporating computer science via Scratch to facilitate science learning in middle schools

Leading team

• Prof. Emeriti Mordechai (Moti) Ben-Ari

Team members

• Dr. Ronit Ben-Bassat Levy

Summary

We investigated the use of Scratch for facilitating learning of middle-school biology. The students participated in an extracurricular program in which they attended sessions at our institution where they studied both Scratch and biology and then developed projects in class or at home under the supervision of a computer science teacher and a biology teacher. We observed the activity, interviewed the students and administered attitude questionnaires. The findings show that projects developed by the students’ projects demonstrated a good quality of programming in Scratch, as well as satisfactory knowledge of biology. All students held high positive attitudes towards the use of Scratch and preferred to learn biology by using Scratch.