Class Computer Science Workshop - Programming, Robotics and Computational Thinking

The course unit Workshop - Programming, Robotics and Computational Thinking is part of the Master's in Teaching Informatics (1st semester) and aims to prepare future teachers to apply educational robotics, programming environments and computational thinking didactically. It focuses on analysing international and national trends in teaching programming, on selecting and pedagogically adapting programming environments and digital/tangible resources, and on designing, implementing and evaluating activities with robotic systems (Arduino, Raspberry Pi) and simulation software. Taught in the 1st semester, it gives students the practical, hands-on foundation needed to design didactic-technological programming and robotics activities throughout the study cycle.

Not applicable

CP1 - Computational thinking: analysis of the concept based on literature and curriculum guidance documents; principles for its development. CP2 - Guidelines for programming and computational thinking; international trends and teaching in Portugal. CP3 - Programming environments: typologies, characteristics and pedagogical adequacy according to teaching objectives and levels. CP4 - Design, implementation and evaluation of pedagogical activities in computational thinking and introduction to programming. CP5 - Programming and Robotics: data-acquisition systems and programming with sensors, actuators and robotic systems (Arduino, Raspberry Pi) and simulation software (Tinkercad); projects with sensors, actuators, robots and drones fostering interdisciplinarity.

ME1 - Practical classes and experimental laboratories, fostering direct contact with equipment and practical application of educational-robotics concepts (LO1). ME2 - Practical projects and workshops, fostering creativity and collaborative work in conducting computational-thinking activities (LO2). ME3 - Case studies, critical analysis and group discussions, in selecting digital and tangible educational resources (LO3). ME4 - Interactive lectures, problem-solving and debates, in rigorously recognising computational-thinking situations (LO4). ME5 - Instructional design workshops and collaborative projects, planning innovative robotics and programming proposals (LO5). ME6 - Theoretical seminars, case studies and critical literature analysis, on the role of computational thinking in learning Computer Science (LO6).

Blum, J. (2020). Exploring Arduino: Tools and Techniques for Engineering Wizardry (2nd ed.). John Wiley & Sons. Pajankar, A. (2018). Arduino Made Simple With Interactive Projects. BPB Publications. Hazzan, O., Lapidot, T., & Ragonis, N. (2020). Guide to Teaching Computer Science: An Activity-Based Approach. Springer. Matos, J. F. (2016). Princípios orientadores para o desenho de cenários de aprendizagem. Projeto TEL@FTELab. Piedade, J., Dorotea, N., Pedro, A., & Matos, J. F. (2020). On Teaching Programming Fundamentals and Computational Thinking with Educational Robotics. Education Sciences, 10(9), 214. Wing, J. (2006). Computational Thinking. Communications of the ACM, 49(3), 33-35.