[Edu-sig] creative unplugged activities in computer science classes

[Wes Turner]

On Sunday, June 24, 2018, <mw at creative-informatics.de> wrote:

> Dear Python educators,
>
>
>
> teaching Python includes explaining technical facets of the programming
> language and initiating and scaffolding hands-on programming exercises.
>
> However, especially  if the object of the course is to develop
> “computational thinking” and to get a deeper understanding what computer
> science is, the curriculum might contain “unplugged” activities without a
> computer.
>
> What do you think about unplugged activities challenging creativity? I
> would like to advertise a questionnaire, which is part of an international
> study on this type of activities in computer science education.
>
> https://goo.gl/forms/seYGUlsKHxyiqqnX2
>
> The results will be presented in August 2018 at Constructionism in Vilnius
> (Lithuania) and will be available to everyone http://www.
> constructionism2018.fsf.vu.lt/ .
>
>
>
> Thank you and best wishes
>
>
 > 1. Create an algorithm
> 2. Find an example situation
> 3. Create an example algorithm
> 4. Create a visualization


# Offline CS learning things:

## Pseudocode for algorithms
### Firefly algorithm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firefly_algorithm#Algorithm

### The Maze
"The Maze" / "The Grid Puzzle Maze" is a team building activity that
requires the team to find the [only?] optimal path through an NxN grid on
the floor.

- https://www.teampedia.net/wiki/index.php/The_Maze

### Peacemaking
- Peace building / peace making activities can also tie-in with
computational thinking (**win/win**).


## K12 CS Framework
https://k12cs.org

https://k12cs.org/navigating-the-practices/

"""
To refer to a practice statement, use the following notation:

    P[Practice Number].[Core Practice].[Practice Statement Number]
    Example: P4.Developing and Using Abstractions.1
"""

https://k12cs.org/navigating-the-concepts/

"""
To refer to a concept statement, use the following notation:

    [Grade Band].[Core Concept].[Subconcept]
    Example: 3-5.Impacts of Computing.Culture
"""

## Products
(no promotions here)

- TOY: Think & Learn Code-a-Pillar
- TOY: Dash & Dot Robot
- BOOK: "Computational Fairy Tales" by Kubica
- BOOK: "The Information" by Gleick describes the mechanical context of
Babbage's Difference Engine and Analytical Engine (and Ada Lovelace's
programming skills).
- APP: "Circuit Scramble" (Boolean logic gates/operators)
- APP: "Grasshopper" (logic, conditionals, control flow, JS syntax)

(We had offline tests, quizzes, *and labs* in most of the CS courses I've
taken).

Are there other recommendations for offline CS & Computational Thinking
activities?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computational_thinking

> Michael
>
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