Exploring Strategies for K–8 Interest-Driven Computer Science Education (Poster 3)

• In Event: Design Principles for Creating Accessible and Inclusive Introductory Computing Experiences

Abstract

Coding permeates many different learning contexts. Within some communities, computer science (CS) is offered within the standard curriculum. In other communities, CS offerings might only exist as part of after-school, weekent, or summer enrichment experiences. Throughout the past few years, the author and his team have enjoyed observing, designing, and implementing CS learning experiences across many of these varied contexts. Some of these have taken on the form of game-based learning after-school clubs, while others have involved seamlessly embedding computing into sports camps and physical education classes. Through this collection of projects and experiences, the author has identified eight design principles that can help guide effective and equitable computer science education among K-8 learners. The presentation of each design principle will include a description of the principle as instantiated within one or more case studies. Here, the reader will find a short description of each design principle.
Modality matters - The absence of accessible interfaces, actual or perceived, can be a primary barrier to participation. Multimodal technologies can provide one approach to address this.
Interest-based learning as high-stakes - Students might find interest-based learning experiences to be high-stakes when the content and activities are closely tied to their culture, identity, and/or interests.
Authenticity and embedded computational thinking - The world is full of coding experiences that clumsily append coding activities to a completely unrelated activity. Instead of forcing these connections, we should make sure that the connections are authentic, or, alternatively, look for ways that computational thinking may already be embedded within many of the activities that youth enjoy.
CS as a superpower - One exciting aspect of CS is being able to do things that otherwise would seem impossible. As we support learners in their pursuit of CS, we should highlight some of these opportunities, even when they might seem silly.
Knowing versus doing - Computer science is a domain of active creation and production. Accordingly, it might make sense to relax our expectations around what students can verbalize, and leave room for them to demonstrate their knowledge in other ways.
Expansive CS experiences - Learning CS in a CS class works for many students. However, for others, helping them explore CS through dance, history, politics, cooking, music, or fashion, for example, might be much more effective.
Beyond well-designed programs - The effectiveness of any program is impacted by much more than the content of the curriculum. Instead, we must also attend to social and relational questions, as the identities of the facilitators, for example, can be very influential in how youth experience the program.
Bring a critical lens - CS has a lot to contribute to the world. However, it has also been used to enact countless injustices and represents a community that can feel elitist, racially-insensitive, and chauvinistic, to name a few. Be prepared to talk about these injustices with learners.
These different design principles include a combination of technological and pedagogical considerations that can hopefully guide researchers, designers, and practitioners as they pursue the task of helping students realize their agency through computing.

Author

• Marcelo A.B. Worsley, Northwestern University
  Presenting Author