From computational thinking to thoughtful computing : perspectives on physical computing in maker-centered education
department or school: Education, Faculty of
department or school: Education, School of (Okanagan)
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCO
creator: Law, Ho Chung
issued: 2023-03-29T18:14:30Z
issued: 2023
related degree: Master of Arts - MA
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Many believe that computational thinking (CT) is a problem-solving skill that everyone should learn. In K-12 education, there is an increasing interest in teaching CT through physical computing, which involves the use of programmable devices to create useful interactive artifacts, like robots. Research has found that physical computing can support CT education, however, little research is aimed at understanding prospective educators’ viewpoints about CT based on their lived experiences with physical computing. To fill this research gap, a qualitative and exploratory case study was conducted using a physical computing device called a Micro:bit. The term "prospective educator" was defined inclusively in this research to sample university students in any discipline who could offer their pedagogical insights. This approach recognized the diverse range of individuals who can contribute to CT, physical computing, and maker-centered education beyond schoolteachers. Six participants with different academic backgrounds were recruited from a university in Western Canada. Each participant was given a Micro:bit maker kit and one month to work on a sustainable development project at home. Participants were supported remotely through a learning blog and video conferencing software. Data about participants’ viewpoints and experiences were collected online from surveys, workshops, support sessions, individual interviews, and participants’ blog posts. A thematic analysis was conducted to understand what participants think CT means, how to teach CT with Micro:bits, and the participants’ overall learning experiences. Participants’ viewpoints about CT were summarized into an operational definition of CT comprising five criteria for observing CT in daily life. Three cognitive and three affective strategies of teaching CT through physical computing were also identified. Participants’ lived experiences showed that physical computing can provide learners with a sense of empowerment, and fa…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/84108
note: From Computational Thinking to Thoughtful Computing: Perspectives on Physical Computing in Maker-Centered Education by Ho Chung Law B.Soc.Sc., Hong Kong Baptist University, 2001 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS in THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES (Education) THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA (Okanagan) March 2023 © Ho Chung Law, 2023 ii The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the College of Graduate Studies for acceptance, a thesis entitled: From Computational Thinking to Thoughtful Computing: Perspectives on Physical Computing in Maker-Centered Education submitted by Ho Chung Law in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Arts. Dr. Robert Campbell, Okanagan School of Education Supervisor Dr. Catherine Broom, Okanagan School of Education Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Peter Arthur, Okanagan School of Education Supervisory Committee Member Dr. Abdallah Mohamed, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science University Examiner iii Abstract Many believe that computational thinking (CT) is a problem-solving skill that everyone should learn. In K-12 education, there is an increasing interest in teaching CT through physical computing, which involves the use of programmable devices to create useful interactive artifacts, like robots. Research has found that physical computing can support CT education, however, little research is aimed at understanding prospective educators’ viewpoints about CT based on their lived experiences with physical computing. To fill this research gap, a qualitative and exploratory case study was conducted using a physical computing device called a Micro:bit. The term "prospective educator" was defined inclusively in this research to sample university students in any discipline who could offer their pedagogical insights. This approach recognized the diverse range of individuals who can contribute to CT, physical computing, and maker-cent…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2023-05
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0428822
language: eng
degree discipline: Education
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Campbell, Robert
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/84108