Open AccessdETECT: A Model for the Evaluation of Instructional Units for Teaching Computing in Middle School
Author(s) -
Christiane Gresse von Wangenheim,
Giani Petri,
André W. Zibetti,
Adriano Ferreti Borgatto,
Jean Carlo Rossa Hauck,
Fernando S. Pacheco,
Raul Missfeldt Filho
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
informatics in education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 2335-8971
pISSN - 1648-5831
DOI - 10.15388/infedu.2017.15
Subject(s) - cronbach's alpha , reliability (semiconductor) , computer science , construct validity , construct (python library) , mathematics education , middle level , perception , psychology , psychometrics , engineering , work (physics) , clinical psychology , mechanical engineering , power (physics) , physics , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , programming language
The objective of this article is to present the development and evaluation of dETECT (Evaluating TEaching CompuTing), a model for the evaluation of the quality of instructional units for teaching computing in middle school based on the students’ perception collected through a measurement instrument. The dETECT model was systematically developed and evaluated based on data collected from 16 case studies in 13 different middle school institutions with responses from 477 students. Our results indicate that the dETECT model is acceptable in terms of reliability (Cronbach’s alpha α=.787) and construct validity, demonstrating an acceptable degree of correlation found between almost all items of the dETECT measurement instrument. These results allow researchers and instructors to rely on the dETECT model in order to evaluate instructional units and, thus, contribute to their improvement and to direct an effective and efficient adoption of teaching computing in middle school.