Robots from junk and Computational Thinking

A recent presentation as part of the Department of Computing and Immersive Technologies, University of Northampton Research Seminar series, looking a on going project within the Department.

Junkbots has been a ongoing and ever evolving project since 2009 around the use of 'junk' as part of activities to developing skills in STEM subjects. In particular in the presentation (below) shows the links between these activities and Computational Thinking were discussed.

Junkbots and computational thinking from Scott Turner

All views are those of the author and should not be seen as the views of any organisation the author is associated with.

Code Combat - fun way to learn Python

Site: http://codecombat.com/

This is another addictive website where to play you must code; in this case a combat game with varying levels. 

The right-hand side of the screen has a place to write some code. From the start the problems/levels are engaging activities such as  navigating a maze,  defending a village (as above), choosing different response to different enemies. It is difficult to not play with this for ages.






All views are those of the author and should not be seen as the views of any organisation the author is associated with.

Problem-solving publications

Examples of work on problem-solving as part of computational thinking.

• Problems first second and third (Gary Hill, Scott J Turner), In International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology Education (IJQAETE), volume 3, pp. 88--109, 2014. [university repository]
• Greenfoot in problem solving and artificial intelligence (Scott J Turner), In 10th China-Europe International Symposium on Software Engineering Education (CEISEE), 2014. [university repository]
• • Junkbots (Scott J Turner), In Higher Education Academy Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (HEA STEM) Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2013: Where Practice and Pedagogy Meet, 2013. [university repository]
• • Is it visual? The importance of a problem solving module within a computing course (K A Kariyawasam, Scott J Turner, Gary Hill), In Computer Education, volume 10, pp. 9--11, 2012. [university repository]
• • Problems first (Gary Hill, Scott J Turner), In Software Industry-Oriented Education Practices and Curriculum Development: Experiences and Lessons, Matthew Hussey, Bing Wu, Xu Xiaofei (eds.), IGI Global, Hershey Pa., pp. 110--126, 2011. [university repository]
  • Is it visual? Problem solving evaluation (K Kariyawasam, Scott J Turner), In Learning Global - Fourth Learning \& Teaching Conference, 2011. [university repository]
• • Innovative use of robots and graphical programming in software education (Scott J Turner, Gary Hill), In 6th China-Europe International Symposium on Software Industry Oriented Education (CEISIE2010), 2010. [university repository]
• • Robots in problem solving in programming (Scott J Turner, Gary Hill, Jonathan P Adams), In Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Information and Computer Sciences 9th 1-day Teaching of Programming Workshop, 2009. [university repository] 
• • Problem solving and creativity for undergraduate computing and engineering students: the use of robots as a developmental tool (Jonathan P Adams, Scott J Turner), In Creating Contemporary Student Learning Environments, 2008.[university repository]
  • Robots and problem solving (Scott J Turner, Jonathan P Adams), In 9th Annual Conference of the Subject Centre for Information and Computer Sciences, Higher Education Academy Subject Centre for Information and Computer Sciences, Newtownabbey, pp. 16, 2008. [university repository]
  • Problem solving and creativity for undergraduate engineers: process or product? (Jonathan P Adams, Scott J Turner), InEE2008 - the International Conference on Innovation Good Practice and Research in Engineering Education Conference Proceedings, Higher Education Academy, Loughborough, 2008. [university repository]
  • Problem solving and creativity for undergraduate engineers: findings of an action research project involving robots(Jonathan P Adams, Scott J Turner, Stefan Kaczmarczyk, Philip Picton, P Demian), In International Conference on Engineering Education (ICEE 2008) - New Challenges in Engineering Education and Research in the 21st Century, International Network for Engineering Education \& Research (iNEER), 2008. [university repository]
  • Robotics within the teaching of problem-solving (Scott J Turner, Gary Hill), In ITALICS, volume 7, pp. 108--119, 2008.[university repository]
• • Developing problem-solving teaching materials based upon Microsoft Robotics Studio (Scott J Turner), In Innovative Teaching Development Fund Dissemination Day, 2007. [university repository]
  • Developing problem-solving teaching material based upon Microsoft Robotics Studio (Scott J Turner), In Proceedings of 8th Annual Conference of the Subject Centre for Information and Computer Sciences, Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) Subject Centre, Ulster, pp. 151, 2007. [university repository]
  • Innovative Teaching Development Fund project 2007 progress report. (Scott J Turner), In missing booktitle, 2007. [university repository]
  • Development Fund project 2006-2007 progress report. (Scott J Turner), In missing booktitle, 2007. [university repository]
  • Robots in problem-solving and programming (Scott J Turner, Gary Hill), In Proceedings of 8th Annual Conference of the Subject Centre for Information and Computer Sciences, Higher Education Academy Information and Computer Sciences Centre, Ulster, pp. 82--85, 2007. [university repository]
  • Improving problem solving and encouraging creativity in engineering undergraduates (Jonathan P Adams, Stefan Kaczmarczyk, Philip Picton, P Demian), In Proceedings of the International Conference on Engineering Education, Springer, New York, 2007. [university repository]
• • The inclusion of robots within the teaching of problem solving - preliminary results (Scott J Turner, Gary Hill), In 7th Annual Conference of the Subject Centre for Information and Computer Sciences, Hazel Steede (eds.), Higher Education Academy Subject Network for Information and Computer Sciences, Dublin, pp. 241--242, 2006. [university repository]

All views are those of the author and should not be seen as the views of any organisation the author is associated with.

Opinion: Blast from the past

Image taken from: The Museum of Computer Adventure Game History

Though I know there is a lot more to Computational Thinking than programming. I recently came across a website (http://mocagh.org/loadpage.php?getcompany=usborne-hayes)  that has some of the covers of books from the publisher Usborne-Hayes that I used when I started to learn to program and computing.

I am not sure of the whether the books are being made available copyright free at the site. Therefore, I am not advising anyone to do download them, but for those who started learning about Computers in the 1980s the covers may bring back a few memories.

Apart from that though, the style of the books is interesting and I feel relevant to needs now (even if the languages used may not be as relevant). The reader is taken, step by step, through concepts by cute robots - I am starting to wonder as I writing this whether my own style of teaching computing has unconsciously being inspired by these books. 


All views are those of the author and should not be seen as the views of any organisation the author is associated with.

Computational thinking is a life skill. Here's why... › Merton Park Code ClubMerton Park Code Club

Taken from:Computational thinking is a life skill. Here's why... › Merton Park Code ClubMerton Park 

Code Club:


To read more on this go to http://mppcodeclub.primaryblogger.co.uk/new-curriculum/computational-thinking-is-a-life-skill-heres-why/ 



"Running is a great way to keep fit – lots of fresh air and things to look at. And it’s free – you should try it. Try Park Run.

But I hate running. I really do – it’s a difficult sport to take up in your fifties! However, I realised today that computational thinking skills are what has enabled me to get my running up to 15k/week. And maybe I hate it less. Maybe I’ll love it one day. I’ll let you know.

Can you think of non-computing areas of your life where you have used computational thinking skills to improve on something, or to solve a problem? Please comment below – tell us which skills you have used, which problem you have overcome, and why you think these skills helped you. Here’s my experience:

Decomposition – I break my run into chunks. There are difficult bits (uphills) and easy bits (downhills). I give myself permission to stop at various points if I’m tired. But I generally don’t. As I get through each chunk I give myself a pat on the back and carry on. Chunking it up gives me the motivation both to get started and to carry on til it’s finished.

Logical reasoning – I predict what I need to wear (kit, hat, gloves – weather dependent) & I work out my route in advance to decide which music I will need and how long the run will take me.

Resilience – sometimes the weather’s bad, or I’m tired. But I keep on going, knowing that the end result will be worth the cold, or the pain.

Perseverance – I’m still doing it, aren’t I?! And I have built up my runs gradually from a much smaller distance

Creativity – If I walk uphill, I change my music track to a marching sort of song, to ensure that I walk at a good pace. (My favourite – “Men of Harlech” ). If I’m really tired I swap to interval training.  I tinker with my schedule depending on my mood and level of ambition!

Patterns – I group similar bits of the walk together eg flats, uphills, downhills, and change my rhythm, music & approach appropriate to each type of section.

Evaluating & Debugging - Throughout my run I am evaluating my technique and relative fitness and changing things about my run accordingly, to help me improve."



'via Blog this'

Waste as a tool for computational thinking

A modified version of the blog post in: 

http://computingnorthampton.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/waste-as-tool-to-inspire-potential.html

An article in the Northampton Herald and Post " How a university is using waste as tool to inspire students" by Lawrence John discusses the Junkbots project. 

"FUNNY looking robots called junkbots could be the key to encouraging more children across the county to become engineers, computer programmers or scientists.

 

One force which is driving this idea forward is the University of Northampton.

 

For the past few years, staff from its science and technology department have been going out to primary and secondary schools to spread the word that science is fun.

By working with schools, the university hopes to show pupils a different side to computing and hopefully raise their interest in what they can achieve" Lawrence John

For the whole article click here.

For more on the junkbots project work go to: http://junkbots.blogspot.co.uk/

All views are those of the author and should not be seen as the views of any organisation the author is associated with.

TYNKER - a fun set of games.

I have been playing with (and so has my son) the Tynker app (available at http://www.tynker.com/mobile/ ). It has a mixture of features, several games and activities to play with concepts of programming and computational thinking.

It has a Scratch/Alice look, with graphical blocks. The coding puzzles gradually build up in complexity. 

App also comes with a games creation option.


All views are those of the author and should not be seen as the views of any organisation the author is associated with.