City Research Online

Abstract

Background and Context: Research in computer science education has been shaped by paradigms such as constructivism, socio-constructivism, and pragmatism. While influential, these approaches have limits in explaining inferential claims and argumentation. Inferentialism offers a way to integrate both individual and collaborative reasoning by situating meaning-making within shared normative practices.
Objective: This paper provides a conceptual review of research paradigms in computer science education, situating them within wider educational theory and highlighting their strengths and limitations. Against this background, it introduces inferentialism—an established philosophical theory of semantics—as a novel paradigm with potential for computing education.
Methods: Taking the literature on inferentialism in education as a starting point, we conducted a narrative, critical review of literature on research paradigms in computer science education. To illustrate inferentialism’s value for computing, we present synthetic examples grounded in empirical data.
Findings: Inferentialism offers a structured way to analyze reasoning, revealing latent misconceptions and reframing them as context-sensitive expressions of normative engagement. It complements existing paradigms by systematically linking commitments, entitlements, and normative rules in both monologic and dialogic contexts.
Implications: Adopting inferentialism can enrich assessment and feedback, support curriculum design, and inspire new methodologies for conducting qualitative data analysis. It also opens avenues for empirical studies and the development of AI-driven educational tools grounded in inferentialist principles.

Publication Type:	Other (Preprint)
Publisher Keywords:	Inferentialism; computer science education; research paradigms; student argumentation; assessment; deontic scorekeeping
Subjects:	Q Science > QA Mathematics > QA75 Electronic computers. Computer science
Departments:	School of Science & Technology School of Science & Technology > Department of Computer Science
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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