TASK 7. "COMPUTATIONAL THINKING AND CODING" - Theoretical Part
ACTIVITY 1:
• What level would be appropriate for this?
This activity is supposed to be for kids from 2nd to the 5th grade, but we think that there are some parts in the game that we consider are for kids from 6th grade at least because of the level of english and some explanations.
• What is(are) the objective(s) of this task following the Bloom Taxonomy?
This activity reaches the top of Bloom’s Taxonomy, passing through all its stages. First of all, they have to remember the instructions the game is giving you and repeat what the game shows you first. then they have to understand all the instructions and select the correct information to play the game. after it they have to apply, analyze and evaluate that information with the purpose of creating a path that allows the character to advance through the map and reach the end.
• What content/standard from the curriculum would be suitable to be developed with this activity?
We really think that the following standards would be the most suitable in this activity because the game combines creating an algorithm, developing with sequences and loops, conditionals and testing if the algorithm is well done by playing the game, learning about computational thinking apart from math and CCSS.
1A-AP-08: Model daily processes by creating and following algorithms (sets of step-by-step instructions) to complete tasks.
1A-AP-10: Develop programs with sequences and simple loops, to express ideas or address a problem.
1B-AP-10: create programs that include sequences, events, loops and conditionals.
1B-AP-15: test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.
CD5. They are initiated in the development of simple and sustainable digital solutions (reuse of technological materials, computer programming by blocks, educational robotics...) to solve specific problems or challenges proposed in a creative way, asking for help if necessary.
competency 2 (design and computational thinking, first cycle): Initiation in programming through analogue or digital resources adapted to the pupils' reading level (unplugged activities, digital platforms adapted to the reading level of the pupils (unplugged activities, digital platforms for initiation in programming, educational robotics, etc.).
Specific competence 1 1.1 Use digital devices and resources safely and in accordance with the needs of the educational context.
• What is the added value of using digital tools in this case?
students can learn more than one subject at the same time in a different way which is suing ICT. in this case, they are learning math and CCSS by playing a game in which you have to code to build somethings (they have to count, memoryze and remember things) and also they are learning about the ground. Using ict will help them also catch their attention and learn in a funnier and more effective way.
• What ethical problems could you (or your students or the parents) find doing this activity in the classroom?
After testing this programme, we haven’t found any problem with it, but we also think that there are some parts of the game which are maybe complicated and some kids probably won’t be able to solve, so they can’t think they are not good at playing it or feel inferior because other classmates have completed the level without problems.
Another ethic problem we have found is that it can be the case that a student doesn’t have a modern phone or their phone is slow, so the game can’t go as well as it should and they cannot finish it completely.
• What changes do you need to make to allow your students to do it from home?
In order to be accessible for all students to play at home, they should have an updated mobile phone or laptop to ensure that they can perfectly complete it. They will also need wifi to download the game, but it is not necessary to be very powerful. the mobile phone or the laptop must have space because if not it won’t download.
Evidence that we have done it and experience of it:
The experience using this game called “sprite box” has been so interesting. We were surprised about the capacity that children have at this age, because as we have tested the game, our sibling also did, and there were some levels which they passed without any problems and we have difficulties on passing it. So now more than ever, we can't underestimate children's capacity because they are able to do big things that we thought they would not be able to.
ACTIVITY 2: Coding Basics: Unplugged
• What level would be appropriate for this?
This activity is addressed from pre-reader students to students in 5th grade. However, the activity needs to read some parts so we think that is too advanced for students who don’t know reading yet.
• What is(are) the objective(s) of this task following the Bloom Taxonomy?
This activity reaches the top of Bloom’s Taxonomy, passing through all its stages. First of all, students need to remember some basic information explained in the activity, repeating it. Next, they have to understand the activity (for example, in the sequence solver the need to understand the pattern of movement of the Fuzz). Then, they need to apply what they have previously understood in many ways; following the sequence solver example, they have to apply the understanding of the movements of the fuzz so that they can use them to create a new movement pattern. Also, they analyze, for example in the “find the bug” activity, where they have to find the wrong pattern of movement and circle it.. Moreover, they evaluate in the “what if…” activity, where they have to tell what would happen given a certain situation, this makes them create correlated connections between ideas, justifying each of the decisions they make. Another example of evaluating is in the “careful observation” activity because they have to justify how they make a certain decision Finally, they create in many ways, for example, after the “what if…” activity, they have to create both a cause and an effect; also, given a certain picture, they have to create a story of their own based upon that picture
• What content/standard from the curriculum would be suitable to be developed with this activity?
According to CSTA standards:
1A-AP-10 K-5: Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.
1A-A-P-11 K-5: Decompose (break down) problems into smaller, manageable subproblems to facilitate the program development process.
1B-A-P-15 K-5: Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.
• What is the added value of using digital tools in this case?
This activity have no added value regarding the use of digital tools because of the fact that it is an activity that has been created for being done without any computer device. However, the activity could be easily adapted to a digital tool in case any teacher wants to develop it with a computer device. If doing so, the simple fact of doing the activity with a digital device is an added value, as it develops the digital skills and performance using it.
• What ethical problems could you (or your students or the parents) find doing this activity in the classroom?
There is a clear ethical problem that we found when doing this activity, and it consists on the fact that for the first activity, we had to collect the three starts for achieving the end; this could lead to some misconceptions in a child's mind, one of them is that the child could think that for achieving success in life he/she should have everything that he/she proposes, and could lead to a fear of failing and thinking that only being perfect he/she could be happy. The second ethical problem that this activity have is that for achieving the end of the path there is only one way possible, so this does not allow children to develop their freedom; may be one child wants to go to left an then down for reaching the end, while other wants to go up an then left; in this sense, the activity should give some options of movements, so that children can develop their choices, choosing the rigth way to reach the end but in the way the want.
• What changes do you need to make to allow your students to do it from home?
Regarding this activity, there is not any change to do in order to allow students to do it from home, because the activity is done on a physical paper in the way that is has been thought for people with no computer or devices, so no matter if it is done in the classroom or at home. The only thing that the teacher should take into account is to bring the activity previously printed with enough photocopies so that they can take it home.
Evidence that we have done it and experience of it:
The experience of using “Coding Basics: Unplugged” has been very good and, personally speaking, we believe that this activity is enormously useful for learning the basics of coding. it is an easy activity to do, with a great learning load for students and develops many competences while being entertaining and fostering creativity.
ACTIVITY 3:
• What level would be appropriate for this?
According to the distribution of Hour of Code, this activity would be appropriate for 2-5 graders, that means, children between 7 and 10 years old. We really agree on this age recommendation since, as we have tested the activity, we consider it is neither too complicated for a 7-year-old nor too easy for a 10-year-old.
• What is(are) the objective(s) of this task following the Bloom Taxonomy?
This activity involves all of the elements of Bloom Taxonomy since it reaches the top of the pyramid that is “create”.
In general, they need to recall previous knowledge and concepts, explain ideas and opinions justifying their decisions, use information in new situations and at the same make connections about their ideas on those situations, and finally they create a new work which is programming the game. So, in this case, at the end of the game they create their own poem, they manipulate it, they can add special effects, change the letter, the color, the characters, the background…
With this game, the kids will put elements together to form a coherent or functional whole, reorganizing elements into a new pattern and manipulating it. They also answer questions from their point of view, use their creativity and combine poetry with artistic and digital parts too.
• What content/standard from the curriculum would be suitable to be developed with this activity?
There are 9 standards. After playing and analyzing this game we believe that they are all very important and that they are achieved during the game, but the ones that are clearly seen in our opinion are number: 1, 2, 5 and 6. Learning that words have many meanings, that music and color influence, and making connections between different things seem important to us, and it is an activity that works very well.
We believe that it is a very dynamic game since you can modify everything as you want and it is not a rigid and boring template and students will enjoy it while they learn .
These were the standards related to the game that we have found in the "teacher notes":
Interpret words and phrases as they are used in a text, including determining technical, connotative, and figurative meanings, and analyze how specific word choices shape meaning or tone.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, distinguishing literal from nonliteral language.
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
Make connections between the text of a story or drama and a visual or oral presentation of the text, identifying where each version reflects specific descriptions and directions in the text.
Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).
Create programs that include sequences, events, loops, and conditionals.
Modify, remix, or incorporate portions of an existing program into one's own work, to develop something new or add more advanced features.
Test and debug (identify and fix errors) a program or algorithm to ensure it runs as intended.
• What is the added value of using digital tools in this case?
In this case, by doing it digitally, children have the opportunity to make connections between the elements of the game and the poem itself, they can manipulate it however they want and do things with it. Instead of analyzing where the rhyme changes within the poem in a traditional and boring way, here you can insert many stimuli that will surely make the child more engage and interested in the activity because, as we have studied, it is known that people learn better with several channels at the same time and this game had sound, visual part and is very interactive. Moreover, if you don't do something right the game corrects you immediately so you have feedback, on the other hand if they were doing a poem in a traditional way it wouldn't be as dynamic and fast.
Nowadays, poetry is not as valued as it should be and it is not very common for children to read it, but through this game, which is something different and digital, they can discover that they like it maybe.
• What ethical problems could you (or your students or the parents) find doing this activity in the classroom?
According to our experience programming this game (which is about poems), we haven’t found any poem dealing with a specific offensive topic. However, we understand that there are much more poems than the ones who have worked in this game, so maybe there could exist more poems which talk about specific topics that some parents, depending on their beliefs and cultures, might be offended or reluctant to like that game for their children.
Moreover, another ethical problem we could find while doing this activity, is that a student does not have Internet connection or sources to complete the assignment. Therefore, those children are playing at a disadvantage and the teachers should immediately adapt the activity to their conditions because we have to adjust to the needs and context of the students.
• What changes do you need to make to allow your students to do it from home?
If they have a tablet, computer or mobile phone at home with an Internet connection, they could do it without any problem from their home. If they don't have one, they could do it in class in the "computer room" with the school's WiFi connection or they could also work in groups or pairs sharing a computer or mobile phone if necessary.
Something good is that since it's not a complicated game, they could surely finish it in one session. Moreover, the teacher needs to show and transmit motivation to the students since, as we have seen the Pygmalion Effect in another course Educational Psychology, the more expectations a teacher has in a student, the better the outcomes will be. So additionally, apart from the sources like a computer or the Internet, in order to do this activity, the students also need the support and help from their teacher.
Evidence that we have done it and experience of it:
The experience of playing “Poem art” was quite good. It was about programming different poems and their presentation in the game. We enjoyed it due to the fact that it was quite challenging because we had to answer questions while exploring it and completing what the game asked us to do. We loved also the poems.
We have made a screen recording while playing the game and it is uploaded in the following link to YouTube:
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