Characteristics of learning spaces favouring

the development of computational thinking skills (Pilot Study)

Mario ChiassonPh D. student, Université de Moncton

mariochiassson.com@marioch

“The educator’s job is not to prepare kids to do well in class, but to do well in

life.”

– E L L I O T E I S N E R

Fast-Moving World

Digital Hardware

Digital Collaboration Digital Highway

Digital InformationICT

Revolution

Globalization(Friedman, 2016)

Information & Communication TechnologyRevolution (ICT)

(Chiasson & Freiman, 2017)

Society went from connected to hyper-connectedredefining the global economy

–Friedman (2005)

Because of ICT, the industry has transformed their process and culture of productivity in order to perform globally (Lorenz & al, 2015)

– Lorenz & al. (2015)

New spaces nurturing communication, collaboration, and problem solving (Levy & Murnane, 2004)

2.0ElectricalIndustry

3.0Automated

Industry

4.0Digital

Industry

Industry Evolution

Industry Industry

1.0Steam

Industry

Industry

School System School System School System ?Industry

– Lorenz & al. (2015); Toner (2011); Cobo (2013)

–Toner (2011); Cobo (2013); Shailaja & Sridaran (2015)

The mismatch between formal education and the challenges of innovative society

2000…Connected Library2004…Teachers Notebooks (3200 students)2006…Model Schools2008…NB321C

2010…Demo Schools2012…BYOD

Project Involved

• What process was redefined due to ICT?

• Amongst 21st Century skills what are the essential skills that the industry is now requiring?

• How did the education system transform their learning culture?

• Which processes of the education system were transformed to improve students’ performances (3r+skills)?

In what ways the characteristics of the learning space influence the process of the development of computational thinking skills of students?

How can the characteristics of the learning space

influence the process of the development of

computational thinking skills of students?

learning spaceprocess

computational thinking

Goals

1 – What is student’s Computational Thinking Process (CTP)

when using a coding software - (Pilot Study)

2- Identify the characteristics of learning spaces favoring the

development of computational thinking (CT) skills.

What is Computational Thinking Skill?

As part of the 21st century skills, CT is the increasingly essential.

Brennan & Resnick, (2012); Denning, (2009); Bundy, (2007); Djambong & Freiman, (2016); Korucu, Gencturk & Gundogdu (2017) ; Magana, Marepalli & Clark, (2011)

(Zhong et al., 2016)

CT is a real 21st Century Skill

(Wing 2006/08/11; Bundy, 2007; White, 2010 ; Barr & Stephenson, 2011; Brennan & Resnick, 2012; Ambrosio, Macedo, Almeida, Franco, 2014; Bers, Flannery, Kazakoff, & Sullivan, 2014; Shailaja & Sridaran, 2015)

– Bundy (2007) & Wing (2006, 2008)

Explains that through the process of problem-solving activities and algorithmic problems,

students develop their computational thinkingskills.

Research Context(Pilot Study)

What is the student’s Computational Thinking Process (CTP)

when using a coding software

School Board in South East New Brunswick, Canada

Methodology

• 60 grade 6 students from 2 middle schools • Swift Playground and Scratch • Middle School Technology Education (MSTE)• Pre & Post Questionnaire - 22 items• 5 Months

• Monthly Interviews & Observations

FindingsBased on the analysis of the corpus

• Love Coding Challenges

• Perseverance

• Determination

“I am so excited when I have to solve problem using Swift Playground (…) I just can’t stop!”

• MSTE space seemed to be flexible, adaptable and engaging.

• Collaborate with each other using different resources and free navigation through different areas of the learning space

“I love (Teacher’s name) class because we are free to move anything”

Perception

ResearchExecution

Feedback

Human

Technologies

Evaluate

Definitionoftheproblem

Approaches

Concepts

Discuss

DigitalPhysical

Community School

Confirm

Internalknowledge

Share

ConsultResources

Inquire

Decision

Validate

Consolidate

Resources

- +

Chiasson (2017)©

Toward the model of the process of CT

Next Step

Identify the characteristics of learning spaces favoring the

development of computational thinking (CT) skills.

What is Learning Space?

Learning Space

Adaptable EngagingDiversity Multifunctional Technology-Rich

Learning Styles

Digital

Physical

Multi-Intelligences

Inclusive

CollaborativeMobility

Multiple Configurations

Multi-Functions

Teaching Strategies

Fluid TransitionsClassSchoolCommunity

ConnectivityAccessibility

PhysicalIntellectualSocial

Writable

Dynamic

Empowerment

Based on the literature survey

Devices

Devices

Space

Diversity EngagingMultifunctional Technology-RichAdaptable

Perception

ResearchExecution

Feedback

Human

Technologies

Evaluate

Definitionoftheproblem

Approaches

Concepts

Discuss

DigitalPhysical

Community School

Confirm

Internalknowledge

Share

ConsultResources

Inquire

Decision

Validate

Consolidate

Resources

- +

Chiasson (2017)©

Toward the model of the process of CT

How can the characteristics of the learning space influence the process of the development of computational thinking skills of

students?

To be continued…

Thank You!

Mario ChiassonPh D. student, Université de Moncton

mariochiassson.com@marioch

ReferenceAmbrosio, A.P., Almeid, L. S., Macedo, J. & Franco, A. (2014). Exploring Core Cognitive Skills of Computational Thinking. Proceedings of PPIG, University of Sussex, Sussex, England. Retrieved from http://www.ppig.org/sites/default/files/2014-PPIG-25th-Ambrosio.pdf

Barr, V., & Stephenson, C. (2011). Bringing computational thinking to K-12: What is involved and what is the role of the computer science education community? ACM Inroads, 2(1), 48-54.

Bers, M. U., Flannery, L., Kazakoff, E. R., & Sullivan, A. (2014). Computational thinking and tinkering: Exploration of an early childhood robotics curriculum. Computers & Education, 72, 145–157.

Branigan-Pipe, Z. (2016). 21st Century Learning, 20th Century Classroom. Association Education Canada, 56(3). Retrieved from http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/21st-century-learning-20th-century-classroom

Brennan, K., & Resnick, M. (2012). New frameworks for studying and assessing the development of computational thinking. Proceedings of the 2012 annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Vancouver, Canada. Retrieved from http://scratched.gse.harvard.edu/ct/files/AERA2012.pdf

Buckley, S. (2012). The Role of Computational Thinking and Critical Thinking in Problem Solving in a Learning Environment. Proceedings of the European Conference on e-Learning, 63-70. Retrieved from http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=5&sid=902ae2ed-9cae-416b-9453-562a7074f881%40sessionmgr104

Chiasson, M. & Frieman (2017). Closing the Gap: How Can the School System Embrace the Age of Acceleration? Proceedings at EdMedia 2017, June, Washington, DC, United States, June 20-23.

Cobo, C. (2013). Skills for Innovation: Envisioning an Education That prepare for changing world. The Curriculum Journal, 5(24), 1, 67-85.

Cox, A., Herrick, T., & Keating, P. (2012). Accommodations: Staff identity and university space. Teaching in Higher Education, 17(6), 697–709.

Denning, P. (2009). The profession of IT- Beyond computational thinking. Communications of the ACM, 52(6), 28-30.

Djambong, T., & Frieman, V. (2016). Task-base assessment of students’ computational thinking skills developed through visual programming or tangible coding environments. Presentation at The CELDA2016 International Conference, Manheim, Germany, October, 24-27.

Freiman, V., Godin, J., Larose, F., Léger, M., Chiasson, M., Volkananova, V., & Goulet, M.-J. (2016). Towards the Life-Long Continuum of Digital Competences: Exploring Combination of Soft-Skills and Digital Skills Development. Proceedings of the EDULEARN 2016 international conference, 4-7 July, Barcelona, Spain.

Grover, S., & Pea, R. (2013). Computational thinking in K-12: A review of the state of the field. Educational Researcher,42(1), 38–43.

Gruskin, K., & Season, M. (2016). 21st-Century Learning Environments. College Planning and Management,19(2), 29-33. Retrieved from https://webcpm.com/articles/2016/02/01/learning-environments.aspx

Kersh, N., Waite, E., & Evans, K. (2012). The spatial dimensions of workplace learning: acquiring literacy and numeracy skills within the workplace. In: Changing spaces of Education. London. Routledge. 182–204.

Kersh, N. (2016). Rethinking the learning space at work and beyond: The achievement of agency across the boundaries of work-related spaces and environments. International Review of Education, 61(6), 835–851. Retrieved from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11159-015-9529-2/fulltext.html

Korucu, A. T, Gencturk, A. T & Gundogdu, M. M. (2017). Examination of the Computational Thinking Skills of Students. Journal of Learning and Teaching in Digital Age, 2(1), 11-19.

Lye, S. Y., & Koh, J. H. L. (2014). Review on teaching and learning of computational thinking through programming: What is next for K-12? Computers in Human Behavior, 41, 51-61.

Lorenz, M., Rüßmann, M., Strack, R., Lasse Lueth, K., & Bolle M. (2015). Man and Machine in Industry 4.0: How will Technology transform the Industrial Workforce Through 2025? The Boston Consultation Group. Retrieved from http://englishbulletin.adapt.it/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/BCG_Man_and_Machine_in_Industry_4_0_Sep_2015_tcm80-197250.pdf

Magana, A.J., Marepalli, P. & Clark, J.V. (2011). Work in Progress - Integrating Computational and Engineering Thinking through Online Design and Simulation of Multidisciplinary Systems. 41st ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, October, 12-15.

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Zhong, B., Wang, Q., Chen, J., & Li, Y (2016). An Exploration of Three-Dimensional Integrated Assessment for Computational Thinking. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 53(4), 562-590.

Zufferey, C. & King, S. (2016). Social work learning spaces: the Social Work Studio. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(2), 395-408.

Workplace Skills (EIU, 2015; Lorenz & al., 2015)

• The nature of the problem that people need to be able to solve is different (complex, ill-defined, different process - non-linear)

• The environment is also different (technology-rich);

• The ability to use technology to solve problems and accomplish complex tasks' becomes essential for all.

(OCDE, 2012)