Computational Thinking
Dates Available
Apr: 08/04/2024 – 13/04/2024
Jun: 01/06/2024 – 06/06/2024
Sep: 09/09/2024 – 14/09/2024
Training sessions are from 09:00 till 14:00
Schedule
Sunday: Arrival and Welcome
Monday: Training Session
Tuesday: Training Session
Wednesday: Training Session & Cultural Experience
Thursday: Training Sessions
Friday: Training Sessions
Saturday: Departure
Course Brief
School communities can be key players in introducing computational thinking to their students in an engaging way whilst defusing any negative stereotypes around this. During this course we discuss the importance of computational thinking in today’s society and education, learn ways how to introduce it in cross-curricular activities, discover and test different tools, explored ways to motivate and encourage students, and develop a C Thinking activity plan for our classrooms.
Course Objectives
The main aim of this course is to gain hands on experience on a number of tools related to computational computing and programming. The training offers how effective teaching and learning can take place in the 21st century. Peer support and experiences can be another important element as contacts for future collaboration are established. The following list shows a brief description of the tools that will be used together with the educational setting in which they can be used in an appropriate pedagogical way.
Computational thinking skills are becoming ever more important in our society and working life. Research shows that learning to computational thinking concepts develops various skills such as problem-solving, logical reasoning and creativity. Computational Thinking encourages students to practice logical thinking, analysis, spatial reasoning, making connections, and using the trial-and-error method for problem solving. Throughout the following sessions, participants will have time to reflect on how the tools and practices being introduced can be embedded successfully in their classroom.
Course Outline
Day 1
Introduction to Computational Thinking
Morning Session: Introduction
Computational thinking in the world around us: understanding processes and information in the real world and how to make them more effective and efficient. Step away from the computer and learn about computation through familiar tasks such as sorting toy boxes, reorganising the school library and even reading fairy tales. Introduction to CS unplugged activites.
Introducing main CT concepts
Afternoon Session: Scratch
Scratch is an intuitive programming language that makes it easy to create interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art whilst sharing creations with others in the online community. As learners create and share Scratch projects, they learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.
Computational thinking concepts are put in practice by writing programs. The emphasis is on learning to read and understand code first on strategies for debugging whilst developing 21st century learning skills. In this session main CT concepts will be put in practice whilst delving in Scratch activities.
Day 2
Coding through Games and Apps
In this session, participants will be introduced to online portals which challenge learners to
play games whilst learning programming concepts. Participants will observe how through
challenges of varying difficulty, the learner may be immersed in stimulating game play which
is fun for students of different age and abilities.
The participant will appreciate that through online portals such as code.org, learners may be
immersed into a thorough online ecosystem.
In this session main CT concepts will be put in practice whilst delving into specific online
portals.
Day 3
Coding through Robotics; a pathway for 21st century skills
The use of robotics in schools is gaining in popularity. In this session, participants will
experience how through a stimulating, hands-on environment, learners will be able to
program their own robot. Participants will be provided with kits which will used to construct
their own model whilst using an icon based programming language to perform specific tasks.
Morning Session: Primary: via BeeBots, Probots, Lego WeDo
Afternoon Session: Secondary: via Sphero, Lego Mindstorms, Microbit
Through each medium, participants will experience how CT concepts may be introduced at
different expertise levels. This whilst appreciating a shift from icon based to textual coding.
Day 4
Developing lesson plans for CT implementation in the real world
Morning Session: App Inventor
In this session, participants will use the MIT App Inventor. Through a simple graphical
interface, participants will explore how such a tool may be used in class as an introduction to
programming and app creation that transforms the complex language of text-based coding
into visual, drag-and-drop building blocks.
Afternoon Session: Computational Thinking in Context: CT Plan
Developing strategies to ensure that every child participates meaningfully in opportunities to
develop their computational thinking. In this session, we will identify digital and non-digital
pedagogical approaches to teaching computational thinking, and explore how this may enrich
the ways in which all learners are included in class activities.
Participants will draft a plan through which computational thinking will be integrated in own
teaching (class, subject). Focus on how ‘own’ learning outcomes may be focused upon whilst
choosing the right tool/s for own context.
Day 5
Project Presentation
Morning Session:
Participants work on their individual projects
Afternoon Session:
Project presentations by participants
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