About

Michael S. Horn is a Professor at Northwestern University with a joint appointment in Computer Science and the Learning Sciences. His research explores the use of emerging interactive technology in the design of novel learning experiences. His projects include the design and evaluation of tangible computer programming languages for use in science museums and early elementary school classrooms, as well as multi-touch tabletop exhibits for natural history museums. His most recent work involves designing a learning platform to support digital music production and computational literacy for middle and high school students. Horn holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in Computer Science from Tufts University and a B.S. in Computer Science from Brown University. He is recognized for his contributions to educational technology, computational literacy, and the integration of music and coding as approaches to broad-based computational education.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Psychology
• Sociology
• Mathematics education
• Pedagogy
• Social Science
• Cognitive science
• Epistemology
• Human–computer interaction
• Engineering ethics
• Computer architecture
• Engineering
• Data science

Selected publications

• Constructionist co‐design: A dual approach to curriculum and professional development

  British Journal of Educational Technology · 2021 · 49 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Sociology
  • Mathematics education

  Abstract This paper reports on the first iteration of the Computational Thinking Summer Institute, a month‐long programme in which high school teachers co‐designed computationally enhanced mathematics and science curricula with researchers. The co‐design process itself was a constructionist learning experience for teachers resulting in constructionist curricula to be used in their own classrooms. We present three case studies to illustrate different ways teachers and researchers divided the labour of co‐design and the implications of these different co‐design styles for teacher learning and classroom enactment. Specifically, some teachers programmed their own computational tools, while others helped to conceptualise them but left the construction to their co‐design partners. Results indicate that constructionist co‐design is a promising dual approach to curriculum and professional development but that sometimes these two goals are in tension. Most teachers gained considerable confidence and skills in computational thinking, but sometimes the pressure to finish curriculum development during the institute led teachers to leave construction of computational tools to their co‐design partners, limiting their own opportunities for computational learning. Practitioner notes What is already known about this topic? Computational tools can support constructionist science and math learning by making powerful ideas tangible. Supporting teachers to learn computational thinking and to use constructionist pedagogies is challenging. What this paper adds? Constructionist co‐design is a promising approach to simultaneously support curriculum development and professional development, but there are tensions to navigate in trying to accomplish both goals simultaneously. Implications for practice and/or policy Designers of professional development should consider constructionist co‐design as an approach but should be aware of potential tensions and prepare for them.

  PublisherDOI

• Modeling and Measuring High School Students’ Computational Thinking Practices in Science

  Journal of Science Education and Technology · 2020 · 85 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Mathematics education
  • Computer Science
  PublisherDOI

• Movement forward: The continued growth of Child–Computer Interaction research

  International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction · 2020 · 39 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Sociology
  • Social Science
  DOI

• Workshops and Co-design Can Help Teachers Integrate Computational Thinking into Their K-12 STEM Classes

  International Conference Computational Thinking Education · 2020 · 6 citations

  • Computer Science
  • Computer Science
  • Mathematics education
  Publisher

Recent grants

• Supporting Computational Literacy by Designing a Collaborative Platform at the Intersection of Music and Code

  NSF · $849k · 2021–2024

• EXP: Augmenting Household Technologies for Learning and Whole Family Participation: Heating and Cooling Control as an Exploratory Case

  NSF · $592k · 2011–2016

• Broadening Participation in Computer Science Through Programming and the Arts Across Learning Spaces

  NSF · $1000k · 2018–2022

• CAREER: Blocks, Stickers, and Puzzles: Rethinking Computational Literacy Experiences in Informal Environments

  NSF · $608k · 2015–2020

• Collaborative Research: Mixing Learning Experiences for Computer Programming Accorss Museums, Classrooms, and the Home Using Computational Music

  NSF · $475k · 2016–2020

Frequent coauthors

• Uri Wilensky

  Northwestern University

  39 shared

• Paul Gans

  University of Mannheim

  15 shared

• Amartya Banerjee

  University of Calcutta

  13 shared

• Christian Zemann

  Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Sciences Nuremberg

  13 shared

• Chia Shen

  13 shared

• Elham Hosseini‐Beheshti

  12 shared

• Robert J. K. Jacob

  Tufts University

  11 shared

• Florian Block

  University of York

  11 shared

Labs

• TIDAL LabPI

Awards & honors

• 2018 Edith Ackermann award-Bildungsmedien

Similar researchers at Northwestern University

• Mercouri G. Kanatzidish-205
• Chad Mirkinh-189
• Omar Farhah-184
• Tobin J. Marksh-176
• Joseph Hupph-171