Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Computational Design Thinking'

Computational design is often depicted as an instrument for analysis or production, but it is also a space in which to explore and create new ways of working and thinking. This thesis explores how, through critically engaged practice, designers working computationally are uniquely able to envision and work toward desirable futures, challenging a techno-utopian status quo and projecting humane alternatives. What computational design methods, approaches, and strategies can help to bring about these desirable futures? Through primary research involving interviews with computational design practitioners, developing interactive software prototypes as investigative tools, and conducting design workshops, I investigate various modes of working computationally. Building on this research, I propose a three-part framework that synthesizes high-level approaches to computational design work. The first component, generating, reveals how computation enables the designer to work at various levels of abstraction, navigating large possibility spaces. The second, simulating, provides a frame for envisioning and modeling potential interventions in complex systems. Finally, interrogating, drawing from both Schön’s ‘reflective practice’ and Wark’s ‘hacker ethos,’ encourages computational designers to critically question their tools and practices in order to discover new ways of working and thinking. I conclude by discussing potential embodiments of this framework in computational design education.

The thesis will explore the implications of teaching computer science through visual communication. This study aims to define a framework for using pictures within learning computer science. Visual communication materials for teaching computer science were created and tested with Year 8 students. Along with a recent commercial and political focus on the introduction of coding to adolescents, it appears that the computer industry has a large shortfall of programmers. Accompanying this shortfall is a rise among adolescents in the preference for visual communication (Brumberger, 2011; Coats, 2006; Oblinger et al., 2005; Prensky, 2001; Tapscott, 1998) while textual communication currently dominates the teaching materials in the computing discipline. This study looks at the learning process and utilises the ideas of Gibson, Dewey and Piaget to consider the role of visual design in teaching programming. According to Piagetian theory Year 8 is the time a child begins to understand abstract thought. This research investigated through co-creation and prototyping how to creatively support cognition within the learning process. Visual communication theories, comprising the fields of graphic and information design, were employed to communicate computer science to approximately 60 junior high school students across eight schools. Literature in a range of visual communication fields is reviewed along with the psychology of perception and cognition to help create a prototype lesson plan for the target audience of Year 8 students. The history of computer science is reviewed to illustrate the mental imagery within the discipline and also to explore computational thinking concepts. These concepts are ". . . the metaphors and structures that underlie all areas of science and engineering" (Guzdial, 2008). The participants’ attitudes increased toward learning programming through visual communication. Quantitative questionnaires were used to gather data on cognition and measure the effectiveness of the learning process. Thirteen hypotheses were established concerning learning programming through pictures from the quantitative data. Focus groups further triangulated data gathered in the quantitative stage. Approximately seventy percent of the participants understood seventy percent of the information within the instrumentation. Models of intent to learn programming through pictures were established using structural equation modelling (SEM). Outcomes of the exegesis are a framework for using pictures that demonstrates computational thinking and explains the research.

The aim of this study is to contribute to the knowledge about how pupils design their learning in programming. It is mainly the learning process, how pupils deal with problems in programming and how they become, are and remain engaged in the tasks, which is of interest. Programming can be understood in many ways; coding, a digital competence, creativity, or ways to solve problems. The digitalisation of society has also evoked a need to learn programming from an early age in compulsory school. In this study, programming is seen as a part of the digital competence that all pupils should have the opportunity to develop, which is a common thread that runs throughout compulsory school.   The study was conducted during programming lessons at three science centres in Sweden. The centres had previous experience in teaching programming. This was used at the time of the study by schools that in this way could offer pupils to try programming even before it became part of the compulsory teaching. The lessons were adapted for novices in programming and were conducted as part of the regular school day for pupils in grades 1-8.   The theoretical framework is based on design-oriented theory with a focus on how settings and design for learning includes both opportunities and dilemmas for learning. It provides a basis for the analysis of pupils’ approaches when learning programming as well as how different types of engagement relates to their design in learning. The results are presented in two articles, which contribute with different aspects of learning. Together the articles provide a picture of pupils’ learning design within programming in compulsory school.    The first article highlights knowledge of five different approaches that pupils used to solve assignments using programming. The qualitatively different ways that pupils used during the observed lessons were mathematically, trial and error, step-by-step, routine as well as aesthetically.  Each of these approaches allows pupils to use and practice different abilities that are important for programming. The abilities are compared to, but not equal to computational thinking (CT), which (in its turn) is linked to competencies that are important for an active participation in a digital society.    The second article contributes to the understanding of how behavioural, emotional, and cognitive engagement can be identified when pupils are learning programming. To understand how the different types of engagement are individually important, yet intertwined and influencing each other, is keen knowledge. The results show how different types of engagement become visible during programming lessons. Furthermore, it is discussed how the pupils’ identified engagement can be related to how their learning process is designed.  In the study, taken as a whole, the results of the two articles show how pupils become designers in their programming learning process. The pupils designed their learning throughout their learning process regarding to the settings, to the approach they used and in the way they became engaged.
Studiens övergripande syfte är att fördjupa kunskapen om hur elever designar sitt lärande i programmering. Det är främst elevernas lärandeprocess, hur de tar sig an problem inom programmering och hur de blir, är och förblir engagerade i uppgifterna, som är av intresse. Programmering kan förstås på många olika sätt, kodning, en digital kompetens, kreativitet eller sätt att lösa problem. Digitaliseringen i samhället har även aktualiserat behovet av att lära sig programmering redan från tidig ålder i grundskolan. I denna studie ses programmering som en del av den digitala kompetens alla elever ska ha möjlighet att utveckla och som finns med som en röd tråd genom hela grundskolan.    Studien genomfördes under programmeringslektioner på tre science centers i Sverige. Science center har lång erfarenhet av att undervisa i programmering för barn och unga. Detta nyttjades vid tidpunkten för studien av skolor som på det sättet kunde erbjuda eleverna att prova på programmering redan innan det blev en del av den obligatoriska undervisningen. Lektionerna var anpassade för nybörjare i programmering och genomfördes som en del av skoldagen för elever i årskurs 1-8.    Det teoretiska ramverket har utgångspunkt i designorienterad teori, med fokus på hur iscensättning och design för lärande, som omfattar både möjligheter och dilemman för lärande. Ramverket ger en grund för hur elevers lärprocess och engagemang för att lära sig programmering kan analyseras.   Resultaten redovisas i form av två artiklar som tillsammans ge en bild av design för och i lärande under programmeringslektioner. Den första artikeln bidrar med kunskap om fem olika tillvägagångssätt (i artikel 1 på engelska, approach) som elever använde för att lösa uppgifter med hjälp av programmering. De kvalitativt olika sätt som eleverna använde under de observerade lektionerna var matematiskt, fel- och försök igen, steg-för-steg, rutin samt estetiskt. Var och ett av dessa tillvägagångssätt gav eleverna möjlighet att använda och träna olika förmågor som är viktiga för att kunna programmera. Förmågorna jämförs, men likställs inte med datalogiskt tänkande (CT) vilket kan anses vara knutet till kompetenser som är viktiga för att aktivt kunna delta i ett digitalt samhälle.   Den andra artikelns kunskapsbidrag är att förstå hur beteendemässigt, emotionellt och kognitivt engagemang kan identifieras när elever programmerar. Att förstå hur de olika typerna av engagemang är viktiga var och en för sig, samtidigt som de är sammanflätade och påverkar varandra, är angelägen kunskap. Resultaten visar hur olika typer av engagemang blir synliga under programmeringslektioner. Vidare diskuteras hur elevernas identifierade engagemang kan relateras till hur deras lärprocess designas.   I den sammanlagda studien visar resultaten från de båda artiklarna på hur elever blev designers för och i sitt lärande i programmering. Eleverna designade sitt lärande genom hela lärprocessen med hänseende till iscensättningen, vilka tillvägagångssätt de använde och hur de hade möjlighet att vara engagerade på olika sätt.

Abstract. Computational Thinking (CT) and its related concepts have gained a lot of traction within the field of education. Many countries, including Finland and the United Kingdom, are in the process of integrating CT into their national curriculums to equip pupils with much needed 21st century digital skills, including coding (programming). As a result, several programs and activities are being developed to introduce pupils to CT. The need to develop appropriate teaching and learning materials, as well as train teachers to teach, and integrate computational thinking into their lessons is apparent. This thesis seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge on computational thinking by designing and testing instructional materials for early primary school. Computational thinking as a concept, how to integrate its concepts into coding, as well as how pupils understood the concept were explored. This study was conducted in an after-school coding club at an elementary school in the northern part of Finland. The duration for the coding club was 8 weeks. Each lesson lasted for 45 minutes. Participants were selected from among 1st and 2nd grade pupils. In selecting participants for this study, priority was given to pupils with no prior coding experience. 13 out of the selected 17 had no prior experience. The remaining 4 participants were randomly selected from the rest of the applicants who had coding experience. Worksheets and stickers were designed and tested for teaching and learning computational thinking. Lesson plans designed for the coding club included activities for teaching computational thinking using unplugged activities and Scratchjr. The unplugged activities were integrated into coding lessons to enhance the understanding of pupils during the coding lessons. This approach helped to connect theoretical computational thinking to real life practices and its application in the context of coding. Data collected included the unplugged activity worksheets of the participants, their Scratchjr projects, and self-efficacy beliefs regarding their ability to code and think computationally. These work products were evaluated qualitatively for evidence of understanding. The analysis of the self-efficacy beliefs of participants revealed that participants were confident of their computational thinking and coding abilities. The main outcome of this research is the instructional material (stickers, templates, and Scratchjr activities) which was designed for teaching and learning purposes. This unique experiment and pedagogical designs are explained to show how unplugged activities can be used to introduce pupils to computational thinking concepts.

[cat] L'estudi va sorgir entre el 2017 i el 2020 com una proposta didàctica per acompanyar l'alfabetització digital amb estudiants de secundària d'una institució educativa de Colòmbia, incorporant noves tendències en educació com el desenvolupament del pensament computacional i l'aprenentatge basat en problemes, per tal de millorar el rendiment acadèmic. No obstant això, per al 2020 i el 2021 va guanyar molta força com a conseqüència del distanciament social, com a resultat de la pandèmia amb el virus COVID-19 i les seves variants; on la demanda d'estratègies d'ensenyament virtual impulsa el desenvolupament de noves formes de treball i, per tant, el pensament, la tecnologia destaca com un mitjà d'interacció i supervivència davant la nova normalitat. És a dir, el desenvolupament d'un pensament computacional que promou l'alfabetització digital passa d’esser una opció a esser una necessitat. D'aquesta manera, el projecte té com a objectiu promoure el desenvolupament del pensament computacional en els alumnes de secundària de l'escola tècnica Vicente Azuero; basada en una estratègia didàctica des d'un ecosistema digital. Amb aquesta finalitat, es desenvolupa un ecosistema virtual d'aprenentatge amb diferents tecnologies educatives, algunes adaptades i altres com el desenvolupament i implementació de programari educatiu; junts estableixen la simbiosi necessària per a la mediació educativa dissenyada a partir d’una recerca basada en el disseny i l’aprenentatge basat en problemes. Els resultats validen amb el coeficient pearson la relació entre les dimensions del pensament computacional proposat per Brennan i Resnick, el desenvolupament de competències com a habilitat de resolució de problemes i amb t-Student posa a prova la relació directa i positiva de l'ecosistema d'aprenentatge virtual.
[spa] El estudio surge entre los años 2017 al 2020 como propuesta didáctica para acompañar la alfabetización digital con estudiantes de educación media en una institución educativa en Colombia, incorporando nuevas tendencias en educación como el desarrollo del pensamiento computacional y el aprendizaje basado en problemas, con el fin de mejorar el desempeño académico; sin embargo, para el año 2020 y 2021 cobra mucha fuerza a raíz del distanciamiento social, como resultado de la pandemia con el virus COVID-19 y sus variantes; donde la demanda de estrategias didácticas virtuales impulsan el desarrollo de nuevas formas de trabajo y por ende pensamiento, la tecnología resalta como medio de interacción y supervivencia ante la nueva normalidad. Es decir, el desarrollo de un pensamiento computacional que promueve la alfabetización digital deja de ser una opción, a ser una necesidad. Es así, que el proyecto establece por objetivo fomentar el desarrollo del pensamiento computacional en estudiantes de educación media del colegio técnico Vicente Azuero; a partir de una estrategia didáctica desde un ecosistema digital. Para tal fin, se desarrolla un ecosistema virtual de aprendizaje con diferentes tecnologías educativas, unas adaptadas y otras como desarrollo e implementación de software educativo; en conjunto establecen la simbiosis necesaria para una mediación educativa diseñada desde una investigación basada en el diseño y el aprendizaje basado en problemas. Los resultados validan con el coeficiente de pearson la relación entre las dimensiones del pensamiento computacional propuestas por Brennan y Resnick, el desarrollo de competencias como habilidad para resolver problemas y con pruebas t-Student la relación directa y positiva del ecosistema virtual de aprendizaje.
[eng] The study arises between the years 2017 to 2020 as a didactic proposal to accompany digital literacy with high school students in an educational institution in Colombia, incorporating new trends in education such as the development of computational thinking and problem-based learning, in order to to improve academic performance; However, for the year 2020 and 2021 it gains a lot of strength as a result of social distancing, as a result of the pandemic with the COVID-19 virus and its variants; Where the demand for virtual didactic strategies drive the development of new ways of working and therefore thinking, technology stands out as a means of interaction and survival. In other words, the development of computational thinking that promotes digital literacy is no longer an option but a necessity. Thus, the objective of the project is to promote the development of computational thinking in high school students of the Vicente Azuero technical college; from a didactic strategy from a digital ecosystem. For this purpose, a virtual learning ecosystem is developed with different educational technologies, some adapted and others such as development and implementation of educational software; together they establish the symbiosis necessary for an educational mediation designed from research-based design and problem-based learning. The results validate with the pearson coefficient the relationship between the dimensions of computational thinking proposed by Brennan and Resnick, the development of competencies as an ability to solve problems and with t-Student tests the direct and positive relationship of the virtual learning ecosystem.

碩士
國立臺北科技大學
互動設計系
106
With the prevalence of the programming education, programming related subjects have become one of the essential skill for students. Through learning logical thinking, students can further solve problems in different situations. Such as computational thinking, which is defined as a problem-solving method, is also a basic skill that everyone need to learn. Design students as the learners of visual thinking, usually communicate and create through imagination. Through the course of computational thinking, learning how to solve the problem is also a design strategy for design students, which indirectly affect the students’ design. Therefore, this study is intended to explore whether the students’ problem decomposition models will affect their imagination. The paper observes the relationship between the students problem decomposition modes and their imagination through the records of classroom activity. According to the activity records, four kinds of models named by programming decision structures were "switch case", "if else", "for loop" and " create ", and the students from "for loop" and " create " models have high originality. From the imaginary test results, it was found that the course can improve the students whose original imagination was low achieved, but originality values from students with higher originality are reduced. As a result, imagination is related to the logic of problem deconstruction, and students can use their imaginations to inspire different logical patterns of deconstruction.

碩士
臺北市立大學
資訊科學系
107
Science and technology are developing rapidly, more and more environments can be learned. Students can learn relevant knowledge through the Internet, games and multimedia, and gradually diversify the way they learn. Among them, interactive robots can effectively enhance students’ concentration when they are used as teaching aids. Learning programming can develop computational thinking skills and enhance problem-solving skills. In this paper, we combine the hardware platform of interactive robots and graphical interfaces programming language, and integrate the concepts of computational thinking and programming to design a curriculum that enhances learners' problem solving skills and computer programming. Learners can learn the hardware-level technology through interactive robots, and combine mBlock to control the software of interactive robots. Nine experimental units are involved as follows: Light-emitting diode experiment controls component on the board; Buzzer experimental learn how to control buzzer component; Buzzer game experiment using building blocks and hardware components to create small game; LED diode matrix experiment extends the concept of the light-emitting diode experiment to output the pattern to the panel; Ultrasonic experiments is learned to familiar with variables and conditional concepts in an interactive way; Bluetooth module experiment learn how to achieve data transmission; Assembly and control experiments need to assembly a complete robot and control it; Robot interaction and testing need to use mobile device to control robots. Through nine experiments, learners can develop the core concepts of computational thinking and computer programming.

Three studies were conducted to better inform how instructional design of educational programming for children impacts learning. In these studies, we focused on how unplugged debugging activities, which require correction of coding errors, affect skills related to computational thinking and personal attributes of children. Study 1 observed debugging performance across varying degrees of embodiment (full and low) with a control group. To identify and rectify coding errors, children in the full embodiment group walked on a floor maze whereas low embodiment group manipulated a paper character using their fingers. Study 2 examined the effects of different degrees of embodiment when combined with either coding or narrative based language on computational thinking and self-efficacy. Children fixed coding errors on a worksheet using coding language or narratives, then performed their revised code using full or low embodiment. Study 3 explored whether congruent or incongruent hand gestures incorporated with either direct or surrogate embodiment enhanced children’s graphic and text programming, self-efficacy, and persistence. In the congruent gesture group, participants placed coding blocks in the same direction that the programming character moves whereas incongruent gesture placed coding blocks in a linear fashion. Direct embodiment is where the participant uses their finger to move a character whereas surrogate embodiment is where the researcher is controlled by the participant through verbal commands. The results on computational thinking skills were: 1) Children performed better in debugging and problem solving using low embodiment; 2) Programming efficiency increased with the use of coding language; 3) Higher performance on graphic programming was found with incongruent gesture while transfer from graphic to text programming improved with surrogate embodiment. In personal attributes: 1) Significant interaction effect was found between hand gesture and embodiment on self-efficacy; 2) Higher persistence was exhibited from direct embodiment. These findings between embodiment and development of computational thinking skills and personal attributes may be utilized in the unplugged learning environment. This is particularly relevant in supporting students to acquire basic computational thinking skills where relevant technology resources are not available.

碩士
國立臺北教育大學
數學暨資訊教育學系(含數學教育碩士班)
105
In the past of Program design courses, students are not fully memorized by program instructions or misused by program syntax, students are debugging programs constantly when they write programs. Even if the completion of programming tasks, from the completion of the program cannot be clear and immediate physical feedback. It will affect the interest and effectiveness of studying. In this studies, it uses “The Influence of Two-stage Unplugged Program Design System” to carry out program design teaching. There are 72 students of vocational school who participant this program. Through two-stage hints and solid blocks programming process, educating students to solve the problem by the computational thinking. The system provides immediate feedback and tips to correct the problem-solving steps too. To research the changing of the results and motivation by the programming system using. The study found that, after The Two-stage Unplugged Program Design System programming teaching, students through the physical solid blocks operation will transform computing thinking to the entity, learning process interestingly, and reduce the burden of program instruction memory. And ultimately enhance students' learning motivation, improve learning achievements and reduce learning cognitive load.

碩士
國立高雄師範大學
工業科技教育學系
105
The purpose of this study is to discuss the effects of computational thinking on 5th-grade elementary students, based on the use of Kodu game design in information technology course. Furthermore, it also discusses the influences of different genders, cognition styles and academic achievements on computational thinking. In this study, quasi-experimental method was adopted, and it involved 97, 5th-grade elementary school students in downtown of Kaohsiung City as subjects. Students were divided into two groups. One was experimental group within 43 students, who took Kodu game design teaching courses; whereas, the other one was control group within 54 students, who did not take Kodu game design teaching courses. In this quasi experiment, there was one class per week and 16 weeks in total. The results were listed as follows: (1) The experimental group subjects, no matter what gender, who took Kodu game design teaching courses, had significantly learning effects on computational thinking. (2) In experimental group, subjects with different “text-visual” cognition styles had significant enhancements of computational thinking as well. (3) In experimental group, subjects whoever with high, intermediate or low mathematic achievements had significant enhancements of computational thinking. (4) Students who took Kodu game design teaching courses could remain higher learning motivation and develop their computational thinking.

博士
國立臺北科技大學
設計學院設計博士班
103
Eco-Architecture is a concept of environment and energy sustainability in order to solve the insufficient of global resources, but lacking of effective evaluation method is serious weakness of Eco-Design. How to apply scientific methods and assessment techniques to improve the Eco-Architecture design is major concern to modern designers. At present time, practical simulation tools following with the digital and information technologies development, Performance-oriented Architecture Design is an approach which use of simulation technology to modify design project or built environment. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) technical has becomes an important simulation tool which integrates with the process of architectural design. Many invisible physical factors of environment (such as wind etc.) could be visualized and counted by CFD analysis. The results can use as the basis for the design improvement. As a relative scientific design support method, it runs as a critical role for the development of Eco-Architecture design and the new generation of urban patterns to achieve the concept of sustainable development in future. In this study, researcher studies several cases of famous architectures in the world through CFD turbulence model, and summarized following conclusions: 1.The CFD-based predictions of Tjibaou Culture Center illustrates that the improved design for strengthening the effectiveness of natural ventilation at the normal wind level indicates a significant growth in the volumetric flow rate from 19.24 to 39.34m3/s via an increase of the aeration area in conjunction with minimized obstacles along the flow pathway. 2.The unique form of Guggenheim Museum also causes strong turbulences on the leeward side. The Guggenheim Museum is designed with an irregular fluidic way along the river bank; leading to the positive and negative influences on the physical urban environments reveals by the CFD simulations. 3.We can recognize in depth about the building performance of unique architectural design through the computational simulation analysis. The wind crossing through the building becomes unpredictable due to the round shape of Eryi Lou, particular positions at both ends, the wind velocity to the leeward of Eryi Lou can reach 2.8 m/s. 4.Traditional architectural design has remarkable ingenuity; they could be as great example of reference for ecological architectural design. Performance-Oriented Design concept and CFD simulation will become important tools for architects and designers in the future.

碩士
國立雲林科技大學
技術及職業教育研究所
106
The 12-year Basic Education Curriculum Guidelines of Taiwan Education Department has introduced Computational Thinking and Programming Language into the Science and Technology courses, which means this generation students can enhance their At the same time, the Situated Learning strategy helps the students received knowledge from actual interaction with learning situation.Therefore, this study explored the effects of Computational Thinking ability, Learning Motivation, and course Satisfaction by using Webduino Programming Design integrated into Situated Learning Strategy. The Quasi-experimental method was adopted in this study. The the experimental group implemented Situated Learning Strategy, and the control group used traditional teaching approach. Participants in this research were 39 students. The research results were shown as follows: 1. The Webduino Programming Design integrated into Situated Learning Strategy has significant effectiveness to promote Computational Thinking ability. 2. The Webduino Programming Design integrated into Situated Learning Strategy has significant effectiveness to promote Learning Motivation of Computational Thinking ability. 3. Applied the Webduino programing Design teaching has significant effectiveness to promote Learning Satisfaction of Computational Thinking ability for each groups. The further analysis shown that there is no significant difference in Learning Satisfaction between experimental group and control group.

碩士
國立交通大學
教育研究所
106
This study integrates the characteristics of mobile learning and game-based learning to design an App called “Birdy’s Treasure Hunt” to support the upper-grade elementary school students’ learning of computational thinking. To understand students’ capabilities of computational thinking and to set up the focal points of the system design, the author reviewed relevant research literature and available programming-instruction software and interviewed three middle-school and elementary-school teachers at the stage of the needs analysis. According to the results of the needs analysis, the author developed a prototype of the “Birdy’s Treasure Hunt.” The evaluation includes the expert evaluation and the field trial of target learners. Three experts evaluated the prototype, filled out the QUIS questionnaires, and participated in semi-structured interviews. The author concluded the experts’ suggestions about how to revise the system interface, learning content, test questions and revise the system prototype according to the results of the expert evaluation. To find out learning outcomes and learning experiences of the target learners, 49 upper-grade elementary school students participated in the field trial after the prototype revision. Before and after the trial, the students took the pre- and pro-tests of programming concepts such as variables, selection, and control. Also, all participants filled out an attitude scale after the system trial, and five participants were interviewed to report their game-based learning experiences. The results show that the students reported positive attitudes toward learning programming concepts via the “Birdy’s Treasure Hunt,” and that their programming concepts significantly improved after playing the game. Additionally, the target learners thought the system is easy to operate and challenging enough to learn, and they generally agreed they can learn programming concepts from playing the game. Besides, they recommended some possible improvements of the game such as adding more levels, integrating more game elements, and improving qualities of the art design. For future studies, the author suggests the system be revised based on the field-trial results and be employed as supplementary learning materials for formal information-education classes. The system could be compared with other instructional methods in students’ learning outcomes and learning motivation of computational thinking. The learning differences of learners with different strategies during playing the system could also be investigated.

This diploma thesis maps pupils' understanding about a functional principle of using commands along with testing conditions (IF, IF - THEN, REPEAT - UNTIL, etc.) when creating algorithms. The main aim of the thesis is to design and implement a set of lessons and a teaching approach based on a theory about learning of algorithmic concepts at primary education for pupils (aged in 9-11) with the intention of verifying a functionality of designed teaching procedures and their possible impacts on pupils' understanding. Data was collected through continuous monitoring of pupils' behavioural characteristics, progress and solution of chosen tasks, video recordings of task solving within the suggested unplugged activities, using a virtual tool Code.org for monitoring of a pupils' progress, audio recordings of interview with pupils, and photographs capturing a creation of own blocks of commands set up by a transcription from pupils' mother language into a machine language (programming language) have all been used for a verification process of the designed teaching approach. By combining the acquired data sets, adjustments of these procedures have been made in order to eliminate the most frequent problems that pupils have encountered during teaching. The case study findings revealed that it is important for...

Title: Computer Science Education at Grammar Schools Author: Daniel Lessner Department: Department of Software and Computer Science Education Supervisor: RNDr. Tomáš Holan, Ph.D., Department of Software and Computer Science Education Abstract: Computer science is not a required component of general education in Czechia. The lack of published local experience impedes the search for general agreement in basic questions, such as: Is computer science in general education possible? Is it beneficial? What educational goals should it have, what topics should it cover? The goal of this thesis is to offer empirically verified answers to these questions, considering grammar school level (students 15-18 years old) in Czechia. A set of fundamental ideas of computer science has been identified and used to develop an introductory course. The course was repeatedly tested, evaluated and improved, following the design-based research methodology. The level of students' achieve- ments as well as their own view of the novel approach to teach "informatics" was tracked. Contrary to the widely held belief (in Czechia), it turned out that computer science in general secondary education is possible and beneficial for the students, as long as the level of difficulty and specific goals are chosen appro- priately. The course is...

O pensamento computacional é a habilidade de aplicar métodos e técnicas das Ciências da Computação para resolver problemas em outras ciências, profissões e vida cotidiana. Nos últimos anos, acumulam-se evidências que reforçam os argumentos económicos, sociais e educativos para o desenvolvimento do pensamento computacional no Ensino Básico. Esse desafio foi impulsionado, em boa parte, pelo artigo Computational Thinking, escrito por Jeannete Wing, em 2006, em que a autora aponta as razões pelas quais ter a capacidade de pensar computacionalmente será tão importante quanto ler, escrever e fazer operações aritméticas. O crescente consenso sobre a importância do tema tem aproximado entidades profissionais, educadores, governos e organizações privadas para o desenvolvimento de metodologias e ferramentas adequadas para a promoção do pensamento computacional em ambientes formais e informais de aprendizagem. Um traço comum às diferentes iniciativas é o uso de recursos tecnológicos, como linguagens de programação, jogos digitais e kits robóticos. Diversos estudos têm sido conduzidos para avaliar as potencialidades pedagógicas dessas ferramentas, mas poucos indicam os melhores caminhos para desenvolvê-las. Nesta dissertação, indicamos os princípios que devem orientar o desenho de interfaces de softwares educativos para o desenvolvimento do pensamento computacional no Ensino Básico. Para tanto, reunimos relevantes estudos provenientes do campo da Interação Homem-Computador que fornecem orientações para o desenho, implementação e avaliação de interfaces de aprendizagem apropriadas à idade e ao desenvolvimento cognitivo da audiência visada. Demonstramos, por meio da análise do Scratch, o resultado concreto de decisões de design guiadas por esses princípios.
Computational thinking is the skill to apply methods and techniques from Computer Science in order to solve problems in other sciences, professions and daily life. In the last years, evidences reinforce economic, social and educational arguments for the development of computational thinking in elementary school. A challenge that was sparked by the article Computational Thinking, written by Jeannete Wing, in 2006, in which the author points the reasons why having the ability to think computationally is as important as being capable of read, write or solve aritmetic operations. A wide agreement over the importance of this assumption has lead professional entities, educators, governments and private organizations to elaborate methodologies and tools to promote computational thinking in formal and informal learning environments. It is common to the different initiatives the use of technological resources, like programming languages, digital games and robotic kits. Several studies have been assembled in order to evaluate the potential pedagogic benefits, but only a few of those studies indicates how to design it. This dissertation indicates the design principles that should guide the designing of educational software to promote computational thinking in elementary school. We considered relevant studies from the field of Human Computer Interaction that provided guidelines to the design, implementation and evaluation of leaning interfaces appropriate to the age and to the cognitive development of the target audience. We demonstrate, by analysing Scratch, the efective results of design decisions guided by those principles.

O presente relatório, diz respeito ao projeto de investigação realizado ao longo da Unidade Curricular de Estágio IV, numa turma de 4.o ano do 1.o Ciclo do Ensino Básico. A temática da investigação centra-se no trabalho de projeto com robótica educativa no 1.o Ciclo do Ensino Básico. O objetivo principal deste relatório é descrever e refletir sobre a utilização da robótica em contexto educativo que, em simultâneo com práticas pedagógicas democráticas, nas quais os interesses dos alunos são valorizados, na perspetiva de desenvolver aprendizagens mais significativas. Deste modo, relacionou-se a robótica educativa com a metodologia trabalho de projeto, que tem como referência o modelo pedagógico o Movimento da Escola Moderna. Relativamente às metodologias utilizadas, este projeto incide numa investigação de cariz qualitativo centrada na prática, a qual prevê uma reflexão sobre o trabalho desenvolvido ao longo do tempo. Durante a implementação da investigação e após a análise dos resultados obtidos, evidenciou-se que tanto o trabalho de projeto como a robótica, contribuíram significativamente para a aquisição tanto de valores como de conhecimentos, da turma em estudo. Relativamente ao trabalho de projeto, os alunos constataram que aprenderam a trabalhar em grupo, a serem mais autónomos e responsáveis. Por outro lado, em relação à robótica, apesar de existir um número significativo de alunos que demostrou dificuldades durante a execução das tarefas, não existiu nenhum aluno que evidenciasse descontentamento. Deste modo, parece-nos claro que a robótica permitiu ser o “elo” de ligação entre a aquisição e desenvolvimento de conhecimentos e a motivação, interesse e predisposição dos alunos, face às tarefas propostas, que se consideram ser desafiantes. Por outro lado, o trabalho de projeto realizado articulou-se com as mais diversas disciplinas do currículo, tornando-se naturalmente transversal a todo o currículo.
O presente relatório, diz respeito ao projeto de investigação realizado ao longo da Unidade Curricular de Estágio IV, numa turma de 4.o ano do 1.o Ciclo do Ensino Básico. A temática da investigação centra-se no trabalho de projeto com robótica educativa no 1.o Ciclo do Ensino Básico. O objetivo principal deste relatório é descrever e refletir sobre a utilização da robótica em contexto educativo que, em simultâneo com práticas pedagógicas democráticas, nas quais os interesses dos alunos são valorizados, na perspetiva de desenvolver aprendizagens mais significativas. Deste modo, relacionou-se a robótica educativa com a metodologia trabalho de projeto, que tem como referência o modelo pedagógico o Movimento da Escola Moderna. Relativamente às metodologias utilizadas, este projeto incide numa investigação de cariz qualitativo centrada na prática, a qual prevê uma reflexão sobre o trabalho desenvolvido ao longo do tempo. Durante a implementação da investigação e após a análise dos resultados obtidos, evidenciou-se que tanto o trabalho de projeto como a robótica, contribuíram significativamente para a aquisição tanto de valores como de conhecimentos, da turma em estudo. Relativamente ao trabalho de projeto, os alunos constataram que aprenderam a trabalhar em grupo, a serem mais autónomos e responsáveis. Por outro lado, em relação à robótica, apesar de existir um número significativo de alunos que demostrou dificuldades durante a execução das tarefas, não existiu nenhum aluno que evidenciasse descontentamento. Deste modo, parece-nos claro que a robótica permitiu ser o “elo” de ligação entre a aquisição e desenvolvimento de conhecimentos e a motivação, interesse e predisposição dos alunos, face às tarefas propostas, que se consideram ser desafiantes. Por outro lado, o trabalho de projeto realizado articulou-se com as mais diversas disciplinas do currículo, tornando-se naturalmente transversal a todo o currículo.