Presented by: Taina Lehtimaki, Hope Boyle & Fatima Bibi
This workshop (45 min) will introduce an approach to teach computational thinking (CT) skills in primary and secondary schools by using board games. Our aim in co-creating this activity is to introduce teachers and pupils without formal computer science training to the subject of CT. This activity teaches CT problem-solving skills with an active learning approach and supports learning at various skill levels. In keeping with a well-rounded computer science education, this activity was designed to promote communication and teamwork among pupils and to enhance their logic, mathematical, and problem-solving skills.
We have curated and evaluated a selection of board games, and will explain the CT learning opportunities with each one. This information will be of interest to primary school teachers, but also, we believe, may be useful for secondary school students who wish to better understand what distinguishes the different CT skills
Presenter Biography:
The PACT team at Maynooth University Department of Computer Science develops computational thinking (CT) resources for teachers at both primary and secondary school level. Our unplugged teaching materials are adapted from our involvement with the International Bebras CT Challenge, through the national organiser, the Irish Computer Society. Our teacher workshops and school visits are currently funded by Science Foundation Ireland. In CESI 2025 we present a selection of board games which we have curated and evaluated for teaching particular computational thinking skills which are crucial in computer science.