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Maya Israel - University of Florida. Gainesville, FL, US

Maya Israel

Associate Professor | University of Florida

Gainesville, FL, UNITED STATES

Maya Israel researches how to support academically diverse learners’ meaningful engagement in computer science education.

Biography

Maya Israel is an associate professor of educational technology and computer science (CS) education. She is the director of the Kenneth C. Griffin CS Education for All Initiative and the Creative Technology Research Lab. Her research focuses on K-12 computer science education, inclusive practices, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and CS content integration. She is currently the principal investigator or co-principal investigator on several grants, including a National Research Foundation project that brings together researchers and educational leaders to address ways to make computer science education more inclusive to students with disabilities.

Areas of Expertise (5)

Technology Integration

Inclusive Education

Computer Science Education

Special Education

Universal Design for Learning

Media Appearances (1)

At UF, we are working together to provide Florida teachers and students with computer science skills

Tampa Bay Times  print

2021-11-26

In a world driven by technological innovation, we should be teaching all young learners computer skills from the earliest grades. In fact, Florida HB 495, enacted in 2018, requires all middle and high schools to provide computer science courses. It would seem, then, that all Florida students would have the same opportunity to learn computer science. But many school districts struggle to offer computer science education, especially rural districts and those serving less-affluent students.

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Articles (3)

Uncovering students’ problem-solving processes in game-based learning environments

Computers & Education

Tongxi Liu and Maya Israel

2022-06-01

(Forthcoming) As one of the most desired skills for contemporary education and career, problem-solving is fundamental and critical in game-based learning research. However, students' implicit and self-controlled learning processes in games make it difficult to understand their problem-solving behaviors. Observational and qualitative methods, such as interviews and exams, fail to capture students' in-process difficulties. By integrating data mining techniques, this study explored students' problem-solving processes in a puzzle-based game.

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Elementary Computational Thinking Instruction and Assessment: A Learning Trajectory Perspective

Association for Computing Machinery

Feiya Luo, Maya Israel and Brian Gane

2022-02-09

There is little empirical research related to how elementary students develop computational thinking (CT) and how they apply CT in problem-solving. To address this gap in knowledge, this study made use of learning trajectories (LTs; hypothesized learning goals, progressions, and activities) in CT concept areas such as sequence, repetition, conditionals, and decomposition to better understand students’ CT. This study implemented eight math-CT integrated lessons aligned to U.S. national mathematics education standards and the LTs with third- and fourth-grade students.

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A descriptive analysis of academic engagement and collaboration of students with autism during elementary computer science

Computer Science Education

Maya Israel, et al.

2020-10-23

Elementary computer science (CS) can be engaging and challenging for some students with disabilities who struggle with complex problem solving.

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Creating Inclusive Education through Technology