About this Course

This course is designed to show you how to teach computational thinking to children aged 7-12+. The course will be valuable to you, whether you are new to this approach or an enthusiastic practitioner. It offers ways to explore computational thinking using simple tools readily available in classrooms and homes, such as cards, chalk and scales to engage with students. Based on the content in the popular open-source CS Unplugged website (csunplugged.org), this course demonstrates how to teach computational thinking from unplugged to plugging-it-in with programming. Each module will weave in the following: Connections to apply CS Unplugged into classroom programmes by structuring the modules to have suitable activities that lead on from each other. An explanation of why we value computational thinking in the classroom What is the big picture around computational thinking (especially, what is computation, and how does it fit with all the definitions of computational thinking that teachers may encounter), The “so what” about each concept, how it connects to people, and where you see it in everyday life Stories of history – human connections

Created by: University of Canterbury

Level: Introductory