Date of Award

2026-12-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Teaching, Learning and Culture

Advisor(s)

Daniel Tillman

Abstract

As data increasingly shapes participation in society, there is growing emphasis on preparing youth to engage with data through computer science education. Existing K-12 computing and data science curricula have expanded opportunities for learners to analyze and interpret data; however, many learning experiences continue to rely on datasets and inquiry structures designed by others, limiting authentic engagement, personal relevance, and learner agency. This dissertation investigates the integration of student-mined data in youth computer science learning and examines its influence on computational thinking, epistemic agency, and learning experiences among high school students. Using a qualitative approach, data collected from youths of high school age provide insights into educational strategies that support participation, agency, and knowledge construction in computing contexts. Findings revealed four major themes: (1) student-mined data connected learning to students' communities and lived experiences, increasing engagement and relevance; (2) participation in student-mined data activities strengthened computational thinking through authentic data collection, analysis, and interpretation; (3) students demonstrated greater interest, motivation, and ownership of their learning when investigating personally meaningful datasets; and (4) student-mined data fostered epistemic agency by positioning learners as active producers of knowledge rather than passive consumers. These findings suggest that culturally relevant, student-driven data inquiry can enhance both technical and cognitive learning outcomes in computer science education.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

141 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Alex Acquah

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