Arif Rachmatullah

Arif Rachmatullah pic
Education Researcher, SRI Education

Arif Rachmatullah, PhD, works at the intersection of science education and computer science/computational thinking (CS/CT) education at the Kā€“12 levels. Rachmatullah uses quantitative and mixed-methods approaches to study Kā€“12 studentsā€™ and teachersā€™ learning and teaching science using computer programming, as well as how such integrated learning environments influence studentsā€™ conceptual understanding of, attitudes toward, and interest in careers related to science and computer science, or STEM in general. In addition, Rachmatullah leverages psychometric approaches (classical test theory/CTT and item response theory/IRT) to develop and validate assessments used to evaluate studentsā€™ learning in such environments. Rachmatullahā€™s research interests also include game-based science learning, cognitive biases in STEM education, and Kā€“12 studentsā€™ and teachersā€™ understanding and acceptance of the theory of evolution.

At SRI, Rachmatullah currently works on projects investigating the effects of different computational modeling activities on upper-elementary and middle-school studentsā€™ science, engineering, and CT concepts and practices. Through these projects, Rachmatullah also studies professional development needed to prepare and elevate teachersā€™ self-efficacy for teaching in such integrated learning environments. Rachmatullah is also involved in a project that focuses on developing innovative CS formative assessments and CS teachersā€™ pedagogical content knowledge.

Before joining SRI, Rachmatullah was a graduate research assistant in the Friday Institute for Educational Innovationā€™s Cyberlearning Team at North Carolina State University. Rachmatullah earned his PhD in learning and teaching in STEM with a concentration in science education and a minor in cognitive science from North Carolina State University. Rachmatullah also holds an MEd in science education from Kangwon National University-Rep. of Korea and a BEd in biology education from the Indonesia University of Education-Indonesia.

Key projects

Relevant work

  • *Vandenberg, J., Rachmatullah, A., Lynch, C., Boyer, K. E., & Wiebe, E. (2021). Interaction effects of race and gender in elementary CS attitudes: A validation and cross-sectional study. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 29, 100293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcci.2021.100293
  • *Boulden, D. C., Rachmatullah, A., Oliver, K. M., & Wiebe, E. (2021). Measuring in-service teacher self-efficacy for teaching computational thinking: development and validation of the T-STEM CT. Education and Information Technologies, 1ā€“27. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10487-2
  • *Rachmatullah, A., Mayhorn, C. B., & Wiebe, E. N. (2021). The effects of prior experience and gender on middle school studentsā€™ computer science learning and monitoring accuracy in the Use-Modify-Create progression. Learning and Individual Differences, 86, 101983. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2021.101983
  • *Rachmatullah, A., Reichsman, F., Lord, T., Dorsey, C., Mott, B., Lester, J., & Wiebe, E. (2021). Modeling secondary studentsā€™ genetics learning in a game-based environment: Integrating the expectancy-value theory of achievement motivation and flow theory. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 30(4), 511ā€“528. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-020-09896-8
  • *Rachmatullah, A., & Ha, M. (2019). Examining high-school studentsā€™ overconfidence bias in biology exam: A focus on the effects of country and gender. International Journal of Science Education, 41(5), 652ā€“673. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500693.2019.1578002
  • *Rachmatullah, A., Park, S., & Ha, M. (2021). Crossing borders between science and religion: Muslim Indonesian biology teachersā€™ perceptions of teaching the theory of evolution. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 1ā€“ https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-021-10066-4
  • *Rachmatullah, A., Wiebe, E., Boulden, D., Mott, B., Boyer, K., & Lester, J. (2020). Development and validation of the Computer Science Attitudes Scale for middle school students (MG-CS attitudes). Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 2, 100018. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2020.100018
  • *Rachmatullah, A., Akram, B., Boulden, D., Mott, B., Boyer, K., Lester, J., & Wiebe, E. (2020). Development and validation of the middle grades computer science concept inventory (MG-CSCI) assessment. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 16(5), em1841. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/116600
  • *Rachmatullah, A., Lee, J. K., & Ha, M. (2020). Preservice science teachersā€™ ecological value orientation: A comparative study between Indonesia and Korea. The Journal of Environmental Education, 51(1), 14-28. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2019.1633989
  • *Shin, S., Rachmatullah, A., Roshayanti, F., Ha, M., & Lee, J. K. (2018). Career motivation of secondary students in STEM: a cross-cultural study between Korea and Indonesia. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 18(2), 203-231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-017-9355-0
  • *Rachmatullah, A., Roshayanti, F., Shin, S., Lee, J. K., & Ha, M. (2018). The secondary-student science learning motivation in Korea and Indonesia. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 14(7), 3123-3141. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/91665

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