Collaborative research: togethercs: a systematic investigation of collaborative programming models for upper elementary school

Sri International received a $649,967 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Research on Learning in Formal and Informal Settings under the STEM Education program (CFDA 47.076), effective October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. The award funds the TogetherCS research initiative, which systematically investigates collaborative programming models for upper elementary school students in K-12 Computer Science (CS) education. The project examines how different collaborative configurations—including two students working at one computer, synchronous work on two computers in a shared online space, and role-guided collaboration with designated proposer and reviewer positions—impact student learning outcomes, engagement, and attitudes toward CS, as well as teacher confidence in CS instruction delivery.

The deliverables from this research include empirical findings on how variations in CS activity types, computer configurations, student roles, and pairing strategies influence collaborative practices and conceptual understanding among fourth and fifth grade students. Products disseminated to the field will consist of research reports documenting findings on student sustained engagement, metacognitive development, and CS concept mastery, along with scalable instructional models that educators can implement across different CS curricula. These outputs are designed to advance the field's understanding of student collaboration in CS education and provide practical guidance for supporting diverse learning approaches in elementary programming instruction.

Abstract

In K-12 computer science (CS) education, collaboration is a key practice for all grade levels in CS standards, but there are still significant gaps in understanding how students can be supported in collaborating. In addition to being a central workforce skill, collaboration also supports students' sense of agency, sustained engagement, and conceptual understanding of CS. This project advances the field's understanding of student collaboration in CS education, focusing on upper elementary students. The project explores how different models of collaborative programming can impact quality of collaboration, student engagement, learning outcomes, and attitudes toward CS. By investigating these models, the project is determining how varying the types of CS activities, number of computers, student roles, and pairing strategies can influence students' collaborative practices; and through these their conceptual understanding of CS, their interest in the subject, and their teachers' confidence in leading CS instruction. The findings will help educators better support students' sustained engagement in programming activities, conscious control over their learning, and understanding of CS concepts. Dissemination of these findings is through both reports of research results and through models of instruction that can be employed with different CS curricula. This study of fourth and fifth grade classroom work in computer science compares and examines student learning across different conditions of dyad collaboration on computers. One condition has two students work at one computer; another condition has them work in sync on two computers in the same online space; and a third condition has them work in sync on two computers while guided to play roles of proposer and reviewer. The idea is to mimic problem solving through collaboration as IT is important in CS industry, while also leveraging the collaboration as learning support. Prior research has found that assigning roles helps students be more productive, and this study examines this in more detail both in terms of the outcomes, quantitatively documented, and qualitatively in terms of the processes of learning. North carolina state university and SRI partner in this work, which is conducted in elementary schools in north carolina and california. A pilot study of 24 students and focus groups refines instruments and procedures. A larger study is conducted with 300 4TH and 5TH graders. This project is CO-funded by NSF's EDU core research (ECR) program. The ECR program emphasizes fundamental STEM education research that generates foundational knowledge in the field. Investments are made in critical areas that are essential, broad and enduring: STEM learning and STEM learning environments, broadening participation in STEM, and STEM workforce development. This project also is CO-funded by the innovative technology experiences for students and teachers (ITEST) program, which supports projects that build understandings of practices, program elements, contexts and processes contributing to increasing students' knowledge and interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and information and communication technology (ICT) careers. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.