Teaching primary computing without computers? The Computing curriculum is a challenge for primary school teachers. The realities of primary school resources mean limited access to computer hardware. But computing is about more than computers. Important aspects of the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science can be taught without any hardware. Children can learn to analyse problems and computational terms and apply computational thinking to solve problems without turning on a computer. This book shows you how you can teach computing through ‘unplugged’ activities. It provides lesson examples and everyday activities to help teachers and pupils explore computing concepts in a concrete way, accelerating their understanding and grasp of key ideas such as abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. The unplugged approach is physical and collaborative, using kinaesthetic learning to help make computing concepts more meaningful and memorable. This book will help you to elevate your teaching, and your children′s learning of computing beyond the available hardware. It focuses on the building blocks of understanding required for computation thinking.

Teaching primary computing without computers? The Computing curriculum is a challenge for primary school teachers. The realities of primary school resources mean limited access to computer hardware. But computing is about more than computers. Important aspects of the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science can be taught without any hardware. Children can learn to analyse problems and computational terms and apply computational thinking to solve problems without turning on a computer. This book shows you how you can teach computing through ‘unplugged’ activities. It provides lesson examples and everyday activities to help teachers and pupils explore computing concepts in a concrete way, accelerating their understanding and grasp of key ideas such as abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. The unplugged approach is physical and collaborative, using kinaesthetic learning to help make computing concepts more meaningful and memorable. This book will help you to elevate your teaching, and your children′s learning of computing beyond the available hardware. It focuses on the building blocks of understanding required for computation thinking.

Whether you are currently teaching or training to teach the primary computing curriculum, you need to know what effective teaching of computing in primary schools actually looks like. Written for non specialists and trainees, this book uses exemplar primary computing lessons as a starting point for developing subject knowledge. It′s a unique but tried and tested approach to developing your computing subject knowledge alongside your teaching practice. The current computing curriculum is explored in manageable chunks and there is no "scary" tech speak; everything is explained clearly and accessibly. You will find example lesson plans alongside every element of the curriculum that can be adapted to suit different year groups and different schools. This resourceful guide inspires an approach to teaching computing that is about creativity and encouraging problem solving using technology as a tool. NEW TO THIS EDITION: Updated throughout and includes information on new apps and other resources for teaching and a brand new chapter on teaching with tablets in the primary classroom. This book is part of the Lessons in Teaching series and includes additional online resources on its accompanying website.

Teaching primary computing without computers? The Computing curriculum is a challenge for primary school teachers. The realities of primary school resources mean limited access to computer hardware. But computing is about more than computers. Important aspects of the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science can be taught without any hardware. Children can learn to analyse problems and computational terms and apply computational thinking to solve problems without turning on a computer.

Algorithms specify the way computers process information and how they execute tasks. Many recent technological innovations and achievements rely on algorithmic ideas – they facilitate new applications in science, medicine, production, logistics, traffic, communi¬cation and entertainment. Efficient algorithms not only enable your personal computer to execute the newest generation of games with features unimaginable only a few years ago, they are also key to several recent scientific breakthroughs – for example, the sequencing of the human genome would not have been possible without the invention of new algorithmic ideas that speed up computations by several orders of magnitude. The greatest improvements in the area of algorithms rely on beautiful ideas for tackling computational tasks more efficiently. The problems solved are not restricted to arithmetic tasks in a narrow sense but often relate to exciting questions of nonmathematical flavor, such as: How can I find the exit out of a maze? How can I partition a treasure map so that the treasure can only be found if all parts of the map are recombined? How should I plan my trip to minimize cost? Solving these challenging problems requires logical reasoning, geometric and combinatorial imagination, and, last but not least, creativity – the skills needed for the design and analysis of algorithms. In this book we present some of the most beautiful algorithmic ideas in 41 articles written in colloquial, nontechnical language. Most of the articles arose out of an initiative among German-language universities to communicate the fascination of algorithms and computer science to high-school students. The book can be understood without any prior knowledge of algorithms and computing, and it will be an enlightening and fun read for students and interested adults.

This This book is open access under a CC BY 4.0 license.This book offers a comprehensive guide, covering every important aspect of computational thinking education. It provides an in-depth discussion of computational thinking, including the notion of perceiving computational thinking practices as ways of mapping models from the abstraction of data and process structures to natural phenomena. Further, it explores how computational thinking education is implemented in different regions, and how computational thinking is being integrated into subject learning in K-12 education. In closing, it discusses computational thinking from the perspective of STEM education, the use of video games to teach computational thinking, and how computational thinking is helping to transform the quality of the workforce in the textile and apparel industry.

This report aims to 'crack the code' by deciphering the factors that hinder and facilitate girls' and women's participation, achievement and continuation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and, in particular, what the education sector can do to promote girls' and women's interest in and engagement with STEM education and ultimately STEM careers.

While the growth of computational thinking has brought new awareness to the importance of computing education, it has also created new challenges. Many educational initiatives focus solely on the programming aspects, such as variables, loops, conditionals, parallelism, operators, and data handling, divorcing computing from real-world contexts and applications. This decontextualization threatens to make learners believe that they do not need to learn computing, as they cannot envision a future in which they will need to use it, just as many see math and physics education as unnecessary. The Handbook of Research on Tools for Teaching Computational Thinking in P-12 Education is a cutting-edge research publication that examines the implementation of computational thinking into school curriculum in order to develop creative problem-solving skills and to build a computational identity which will allow for future STEM growth. Moreover, the book advocates for a new approach to computing education that argues that while learning about computing, young people should also have opportunities to create with computing, which will have a direct impact on their lives and their communities. Featuring a wide range of topics such as assessment, digital teaching, and educational robotics, this book is ideal for academicians, instructional designers, teachers, education professionals, administrators, researchers, and students.

Inspiring Primary Learners offers trainee and qualified teachers high-quality case studies of outstanding practice in contemporary classrooms across the country. Expert authors unravel and reveal the theory and evidence that underpins lessons, helping you make connections with your own practice and understand what ‘excellent’ looks like, within each context, and how it is achieved. Illustrated throughout with interviews, photos, and examples of children’s work, it covers a range of primary subjects and key topics including creating displays, outdoor learning, and developing a reading for pleasure culture. The voice of the practitioner is evident throughout as teachers share their own experience, difficulties, and solutions to ensure that children are inspired by their learning. Written in two parts, the first exemplifies examples of practice for each National Curriculum subject, whilst the second focuses on the wider curriculum and explores issues pertinent to the primary classroom, highlighting important discussions on topics such as: Reading for pleasure Writing for pleasure Creating a dynamic and responsive curriculum Creating inspiring displays Outdoor learning Pedagogy for imagination Relationships and Sex Education This key text shows how, even within the contested space of education, practitioners can inspire their primary learners through teaching with passion and purpose for the empowerment of the children in their class. For all new teachers, it provides advice and ideas for effective and engaging learning experiences across the curriculum.

Computational thinking is a lifelong skill important for succeeding in careers and life. Students especially need to acquire this skill while in school as it can assist with solving a number of complex problems that arise later in life. Therefore, the importance of teaching computational thinking and coding in early education is paramount for fostering problem-solving and creativity. Teaching Computational Thinking and Coding to Young Children discusses the importance of teaching computational thinking and coding in early education. The book focuses on interdisciplinary connections between computational thinking and other areas of study, assessment methods for computational thinking, and different contexts in which computational thinking plays out. Covering topics such as programming, computational thinking assessment, computational expression, and coding, this book is essential for elementary and middle school teachers, early childhood educators, administrators, instructional designers, curricula developers, educational software developers, researchers, educators, academicians, and students in computer science, education, computational thinking, and early childhood education.