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Chapter 5
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-1479-5.ch005
ABSTRACT
Globally, computational thinking and coding in schools has become more popular as well as a growing
area of interest in education reform. Coupling coding with creative thinking promises to meaningfully
engage students in their learning and to improve their coding and computational thinking skills. This
prompts discussions about STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), which
promotes creativity and innovation through the integration of the arts in STEM subjects. This study ad-
dresses the following question: What mathematics and computational thinking do students learn through
diferent models of STEAM education in non-proft and in-school contexts? A small sample was taken of
four diferent STEAM programs in Ontario, Canada. We carried out a qualitative case study with 103
participants, 19 adults and 84 students. The fndings from this study have implications for designing,
implementing and researching K-8 STEAM programs that promote coding and computational thinking
skills in the context of learning mathematics.
Integrating Computational
Thinking and Mathematics:
A Case Study on Four K-8 STEAM
Programs in Ontario, Canada
Marja Bertrand
University of Western Ontario, Canada
Immaculate Kizito Namukasa
University of Western Ontario, Canada