OVERVIEW

The course intends to provide concrete tools for the use of information technology for creative, popular and educational purposes, as well as opportunities for reflection and study on the teaching of information technology as a scientific discipline.

The course is mainly aimed at university students with knowledge of programming, but the participation of teachers is also welcome, even in the absence of specific training in computer science.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Design and implement laboratory experiences, with educational and/or dissemination purposes, adapting the contents to the educational purposes and objectives, to the age of the learners/participants and evaluating the effectiveness of the work they carry out. Use languages ​​with a steep learning curve to carry out activities that introduce programming and computational thinking. Use technologies for tinkering and educational robotics in the realization of interdisciplinary laboratory proposals (both scientific and humanistic). Validate pathways and laboratories through field trials.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Students will be able to design laboratory experiences, with educational and/or dissemination purposes, adapting the contents to the educational purposes and objectives, to the age of the learners/participants and evaluating the effectiveness of the work they have done.

Specifically, at the end of the course the student will know

• describe the foundations of computer science and its teaching as a scientific discipline, distinguish the notions of computational thinking, problem solving and coding
• describe computer science teaching approaches with a socio-constructivist approach, distinguish the syntactic, conceptual and strategic level in concrete examples, describe and exemplify the main misconceptions
• apply languages ​​with a steep learning curve and technologies for tinkering and educational robotics in the creation of interdisciplinary laboratory proposals (both scientific and humanistic)
• design teaching units, educational paths, events and dissemination laboratories with practical laboratory-type activities, choosing languages, tools and methodologies according to the educational objective and the participants
• validate teaching units and laboratories through field trials

TRANSVERSAL OBJECTIVES:

thanks to the participation in the planned teaching activities, at the end of the course the students will also be able to:

- communicate effectively in written and oral form, adapting one's communication to the context, using sources and aids of various kinds, applying critical thinking, using, processing and evaluating information, arguing

- identify one's own skills, developing the ability to concentrate and critically reflect on a task, demonstrate decision-making autonomy, collaborative attitude, management of human and material resources, coordination, negotiation skills, management of uncertainty

 - manage their own social interactions, develop a collaborative attitude, respecting others and their needs, and willingness to overcome prejudices, express and understand different points of view, manage conflict, build trust, empathy

- be aware of one's own learning strategies, organize and evaluate personal learning according to what is understood and learned, understand one's own needs and ways of developing skills, identify and pursue learning objectives.

PREREQUISITES

Basic programming skills

TEACHING METHODS

Balance between lessons and workshops on the tools (experimenting with groups of technologies or techniques). The course mainly uses active learning methodologies and given the content, the methodologies themselves (learning objective) are acquired by applying them to the various disciplinary contents. In particular, world café, jigsaw, team based learning, peer evaluation, debate will be used. The course also foresees the involvement of the students in the planning and realization of laboratories/field activities, and in particular the participation in the realization of activities, by means of coaching involvement in the realization of a laboratory or didactic activity.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Introduction to computational thinking, problem solving and coding
• Computer Science education, indications and guidelines for the planning of educational courses
  • Methodologies and tools for active and participatory teaching
• Programming education
  • Notational machine, block model, common misconceptions
  • Design and planning of teaching units and paths: choice of problem, language, methodology. constructive alignment
• Steep learning curve languages
  • Visual languages ​​(Edublocks, Scratch, PocketCode), Python, Sonic Pi
• Informatics for education
  • gamification, virtual and augmented reality
• Tools for tinkering and interaction with the external environment (sensors/actuators)​
  • Microbit, Makey Makey

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Material provided by teachers (slides presented in class, worksheets, scientific papers).

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIORGIO DELZANNO (President)

DANIELE TRAVERSARO

GIOVANNA GUERRINI (President Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

In accordance with the teaching calendar approved by the Council of Study Programs in Computer Science and Computer Science.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written exam, project and oral discussion.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The written exam consists of a set of closed-ended questions on basic topics of the course. The objective of these questions is to ascertain knowledge and understanding of the main issues addressed during the lessons.

The ability to apply the introduced methodologies and technologies will be ascertained through the planning of a laboratory/didactic path, and the realization of the proposed laboratory or its presentation/oral discussion.

The oral discussion of the activities carried out, of the project and of the practical experience will be aimed at ascertaining, in addition to the knowledge and understanding of the topics covered, the ability to critically evaluate the adequacy of the choices and the effectiveness of the project proposals.