Dec 05, 2017
Teaching computer science concepts away from a computer screen has benefits for children inundated with screen-time in their daily lives
Happy computer science education week! Teachers all over the world are leaning into a call to expose more children to programming through an initiative called the Hour of Code.
In an unexpected twist, one Brooklyn teacher is taking a unique approach to computer science education: turning off the computers and focusing on the fundamentals of computer science through movement and hands-on activities.
While this may seem like an odd way to teach skills that primarily take place in front of a screen, teachers and tutors alike can recognize the value of re-casting the topic in a different context. It's a strategy that forces kids to think critically about the concepts at hand rather than memorizing keywords or relying on device-specific patterns as a stand-in for comprehension.
As the debate over the place of screens in the classroom continues to rage (Mom, I promise, I'm not on Facebook! It's for school!), focusing on computer science through low-tech activities holds promise as an alternative both in and outside the classroom.
Content and image credit: Edsurge News - Teachers in Brooklyn 'Unplug' to Build a Strong Computer Science Foundation https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-12-04-teachers-in-brooklyn-unplug-to-build-a-strong-computer-science-foundation
