Share Paper: Trashbots: Coding with creativity in a middle grades computer science camp

  1. Chad Harris, Bingham Academy High School, United States
  2. Tonia A Dousay, University of Idaho, United States
  3. Cassidy Hall, University of Idaho, United States
  4. Sidharth Srinivasan, Trashbots, United States
  5. Rohit Srinivasan, Trashbots, United States
Wednesday, April 8 3:00-3:15 PM Room 5 - https://tinyurl.com/room5site

Abstract: The difficulty in teaching computational thinking lies in both the attitudes and knowledge of relevant learning strategies held by teachers. A lack of consensus around strategies to teach computational thinking compounds both the need to address teacher professional development and design of relevant strategies and activities. To address this particular challenge, this best practice explores the design of a Middle School Coding camp, specifically how an in-service teacher enrolled in a graduate endorsement program designed an informal learning strand with the Trashbots robotics kit to target creativity development. Despite a logical assumption that algorithmic thinking must follow rigid procedures, computational ...