seminar
The magic of computational thinking:
Bridging the gap between computer science and cognitive science
Description:
Chair: Dr. Timothy Hew, Director, CITE, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong
Computer programming is always considered an essential skill for students majoring in computer science at university. Yet, we observe a tremendous growing interest in introducing coding to children in primary and even kindergarten schools, and help young children develop their “computational thinking” skills through programming. However, some educators may be uncertain if computational thinking can inform us with anything new from the perspective of computer science to cognitive science. Some may even attempt to blur the concepts of computational thinking merging it into daily life and absent the essence of the ability to solve computational problems. In this seminar, we will explore the concepts of constructionism, which forms the foundation of computational thinking and programming activities. Terminologies and their definition in the context of computational thinking and programming will be presented and illustrated. Conceptual insights discussed in this seminar may call for new interdisciplinary research directions in education policy, curriculum development, learning and teaching, assessment, and instructional technology for bringing computational thinking in compulsory education.
Please bring your laptop or tablet device to join this Seminar!
Gary Wong is Assistant Professor in the Division of Information and Technology Studies, Faculty of Education at the University of Hong Kong. His current research interests include constructionism, computer science and engineering education, and immersive digital learning environment. More specifically, his work examine how constructionism can be realized with computational thinking through programming, integrated STEM education, and virtual reality for concept representation.