Computational Thinking and the New Zealand Curriculum

 We kicked this week off by looking at the role of digital technologies in the New Zealand Curriculum; linking this to effective practise through teaching and learning online and student achievement. We also looked at the support for teachers to acquire digital fluency, therefore providing students with the opportunity to be innovator designers, rather than passive users of technology. When introducing computational thinking, teachers can use a variety of methods, including 'unplugged' activities, such as the one in the video below. 

There were links made to empowering both teachers and students to learn the programming fundamentals, with clear progress outcomes and relevant exemplars. The word empowered is prefered over agency to avoid misconceptions about the meaning of the term when linked with Manaiakalani. Equity was also discussed alongside the disadvantages of those students arriving at school age 5 well behind where they should be. Taking back control of individuals' lives through empowerment is seen as the advancement of rangatiratanga in the 21st century. This is one of the reasons Manaiakalani supports student-owned devices.

The greatest joy comes from empowering students to
believe that they are the designers of their own future.

We discussed algorithms and coding and their role in computational thinking, and followed this up by experimenting with various coding sites and applications. I really enjoyed the Minecraft site above as an entry level introduction to these skills. Scratch and Flappy (see below) were very similar, but extended the skills to include sound and other variables. We moved into groups and made our own games using Gamefroot (below right) - this one was using pepeha. 

I look forward to sharing these coding sites with my students and my own children. I am also keen to get stuck into some 'unplugged' activities to include another level of teaching and learning to this process. It has also helped me to understand more about curriculum expectations and my own personal understanding of computer science principles.

Mā te wā, 

Alicia