Intro to Computational Thinking

 Hey folks, 

I just finished a module on computational thinking which is a set of systemic processes that will help people approach complex open ended problems in the same way a computer does. I have an article source and some screen captures below.





One take-away that I found from this article is that CI is a framework for understanding and thinking about processes and solutions to a large, open-ended problem. There are many aspects to think about solving larger problems, so this framework provides many higher order thinking tasks that specifically align to problem.

I feel that I need to conduct more research on CI in order to see its direct application to in class structures. I feel that part of this is due to the nature of CI in systemically solving larger problems. You basically use this systemic process to break down a larger problem. The only problem is that content standards, pacing plans, instructional scaffolds, and the general nature of teaching doesn't permit these types of discovery bases learning experiences in the classroom. I have a feeling that it would meaningful to teach these types of strategies to students and then to give them a very complete problem in a project based learning setup. Perhaps they'd be equipped to organize and respond in a meaningful way.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Changes in Education with Web 3.0

 To what extent will a semantic web have on education?  Only time will tell! But there's also considerable room to speculate given that we can project based on previous improvements with technology.  I just read an article where 3 visionaries in the technology industry shared predictions of what Web 3.0 will do to education. I have to say that the ideas presented below are pretty exiting. Here's a bulleted list of key points: The web will be semantic We can expect "smart" everything, so things like clothes will record/share data....think about the world being digitized There will be a flourish of data as technology is decentralized Classrooms will embody a stronger flipped methodology Students will have choice in their educational paths There will be more accessibility with learning Students will individualize learning resulting in more free time for teachers to support small groups Student build their own road maps to education Thinking about all of this is exciting...
Read more

ID&T Infographic

Image
 Hey folks, I just created an infographic about the history of Instructional Design and Technology. I'm really pleased with the result given that a lot of effort went into planning, filtering information, and creating the layout in Photoshop. Sometimes it feels like creative activities are much more involved than writing papers and collecting data. But I digress! Have a look and feel free to share feedback!
Read more

Gapminder and Excel

 Hello all, I just visited a great website called Gapminder . This is an education tool with a focus on identifying systemic misconceptions about global development. There are a number of interactive tools and features that are used to help participants learn about these issues. For instance, you take a survey about plastics that end up in the ocean by taking a multiple choice question. When you get it wrong, a new slide shows up sharing the correct information and extending the learning experience. If you correctly answer a question, there is also a new slide that shares some of the misconceptions that others have had about the question. I would place this resource at the middle school level and would use is to help students identify a problem for their research. Maybe they could creating some kind of a sustained research project where they integrate learning subjects from various content areas (English, science, math) to develop a presentation of their findings. I'd probably use ...
Read more