Equitable Playgrounds for All!

Purpose & objective

In this session, we explore & create playground equipment that is accessible to all children. Participants will explore computational thinking (CT) and truly investigate each of its stages: Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction, and Algorithms. CT will be explored using cardboard character creation and building models of the designed equitable equipment using Humming Bird robotics kits, 3DuxDesign building materials, & Strawbees with Micro Bits. Attendees will gain a true working knowledge of CT in the classroom. Similar lessons have been taught with success in my classroom.

Outline

The poster session is a come-and-go situation so we will set it with a board that illustrates various completed project examples along with a detailed layout of each of the computational thinking (CT) stages: Decomposition, Pattern Recognition, Abstraction, and Algorithms and how they are accomplished within the lesson. We will allow attendees to conduct device-based activities if they chose in order to get more familiar with the technology that we use in the lesson.
Look at board: 5 - 10 min
Hands-on: 15 min
Questions: 5 min

Supporting research

According to The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2019 report, only about 21% of students taking the ACT met the minimum STEM benchmarks for college entrance. (https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/National-CCCR-2019.pdf)

ISTE’s No Fear Coding: Computational Thinking Across the K-5 Curriculum book supports infusing CT in the classroom. The author of this book was the co-creator of this session proposal.

Applying a real-world context to your lessons helps students realize that the skills they’re learning are not just relevant but vital beyond the classroom. Trevor Muir presents evidence of this approach in his TEDx talk on real-world learning. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ei_HSlUxUQ)

Computational thinking is a fundamental skill for everyone, not just for computer scientists. From reading, writing, and arithmetic, we should add computational thinking to every child’s analytical ability. (https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~15110-s13/Wing06-ct.pdf)