From computing to computational thinking: Encouraging creative approaches to problem-solving across the curriculum 26 JANUARY, 2017 15:50 - 16:10 Bett Futures Computational thinking is a problem-solving process that involves looking at possible solutions abstractly and algorithmically, in a series of ordered steps. People who are able to think in this way tend to be good at generalizing and transferring this problem-solving process to a wide variety of problems. Computational thinking has been hailed as having the potential to foster a new culture of learning in which creativity is rewarded and people are encouraged to experiment, so how can you introduce it in your lessons?

1. Research supported by
@margaridaromero
#Vibot
#5c21
#CoCreaTIC

2. margarida.romero@fse.ulaval.ca
Associate professor of Educational Technology
Université Laval
margarida.romero@unice.fr
Professor at ESPE Nice
Université Nice Sophia Antipolis
Laboratoire d’Innovation et Numérique
pour l’Éducation (LINE)
#CoCreaTIC #5c21
Techno-creative activities
for the 21st century competencies
#Vibot
A story for the 7 to 107 years old
on robotics and programming

5. Should kids use technologies ?
?
@margaridaromero
Img;@FreepikatFlatIcon

6. Citizens as ICT consumers
(Interactive ICT usage)
=» Limits:
Representativity,
Obsolescence
Citizens as ICT co-creators
(Participatory Knowledge
Co-Creation)
Collaborative
problem-solving
techno-creativity
Src:CultOfMac.com
Src:Ladieslearningcode.com
Is not about the technology (nor its intentions) but about its actual
participatory creative use.
@margaridaromero

7. Should kids use technologies ?
@margaridaromero
Img;@FreepikatFlatIcon
Passive-participatory model
(Romero, Laferrière, & Power, 2016) based on Chi (2009).
Romero, M., Davidson, A-L., Cucinelli, G., Ouellet, H., & Arthur, K. (2016). Learning to code: from procedural
puzzle-based games to creative programming. CIDUI.
#CoCreaTIC

8. Research supported by
#CoCreaTIC mission: Foster techno-cocreative problem-solving
and humanistic values through community-based challenges
engaging intergenerational participants.
#5c21 values
and attitudes
#Vibot the robot, an
intergenerational book about
programming and educational
robotics. Available in French and
English (paper and online).
#5c21 guide including
15 ideas of co-creative
activities for the 21st
century kids: from
unplugged computing to
Minecraft.
#5c21 : 5 key competencies for
the 21st century citizenship
#5c21 assessment tool:
www.cocreatic.net
Studio #Vibot on Scratch
Community-based challenges:
#smartcitymaker #fabville /
#r2t2
w/ A. LepageDesign by Leslie Dumont
w/ V. Vallerand
w/ R. Kamga; B. Lille; JN Proulx
Illustrated by Loufane
w/ A. Roy
#CoCreaTIC
Invited research: S. Netto
Lead by M. Romero
Related projects: Silver
Gaming @ACT, IMAGINE
(w. G. Cucinelli, A-L.
Davidson)

9. 15 cocreative activities
@margaridaromero

10. #Vibot the robot, an intergenerational book about programming and
educational robotics. Available in French and English (paper and online).
Creative programming with Scratch and #Vibot the robot
https://scratch.mit.edu/
Studio #Scratch de #Vibot: https://scratch.mit.edu/studios/1999251/

11. @margaridaromero
In Vibot the robot,
granny ADA is the most tech-savvy member of the family !

12. Code VS Programming
@margaridaromero
Code literacy
Systems literacy
Analysis Technocreative solution
(making, coding, testing)

13. Learning to code is not enough!
● Code is part of the literacy required
for creative programming
Programming is a human-sensitive
decision-making of
1. analysis a (complex)
problem-situation;
2. organisation, reduction of the
complexity (selecting an angle and
the entities to model) and
modelling the problem-situation;
3. creating a program (code) through
the use of an specific language
4. testing, debugging and maintaining
the program.
@margaridaromero

14. 5 levels of learning to code activities (Romero et al. 2016)
@margaridaromero

15. Romero (2016). Design : Dumont
#5c21
○ Creative collaboration
as a context-related collaborative
process of shared creation, where a
solution is collaboratively
(co)constructed by a group of
persons and considered as original,
valuable or useful by a group of
reference (Romero & Barberà, 2015).
@margaridaromero

16. What kind of activities can engage learners in
creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary team-based challenges
Challenge:coordinate and program the robots
moves in the arena representing the surface of Mars.
16 teams in 5 countries (FR, SW, MX, CA, St-Lucie)

17. What kind of activities can engage learners in
creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary community-based challenges
Challenge
Community Noé, age 5, suffers from agenesis of the left
hand. The little boy received a prosthesis
made by the secondary level students of
Soing (France). The artificial hand was
realized thanks to a printer 3D.
Belonging, caring, contributing (cocreative
project), goodwilling
Team-defined and regulated cocreative
activity to solve an authentic complex
ill-defined problem.
Complex ill-defined problems requires , on
the one hand, a worthy community-oriented
inquiry that could benefit from a design
based approach, interdisciplinarity, a
diversity of literacies and the 21st century
competencies: collaboration, problem
solving, creativity, critical thinking and
computational thinking.

18. Challenges requires a certain
degree of complexity to
engage learners in a cocreative
activity
What kind of activities can engage learners in
creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary community-based challenges
Schools avoids complexity by
organizing uncontextualized
knowledge units according to the
curriculum and the disciplines
Related attitudes
and skills:
curiosity, ambiguity
tolerance, systems
thinking,
abstraction, pattern
thinking, error
tolerance.
Complexity

19. What kind of activities can engage learners in
creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary community-based challenges
Community
Students oriented to clean
the oceans.
Analysisofanill-defined
complexproblem
Cesar Harada students, at the Hong Kong Harbour School,
wanted to contribute to remove plastics from the ocean.
M
odelling/Design(schem
a;
com
plexityreduction)
Challenge
Build a water-pro robot to
sense and collect plastics.
Code and systems literacy (for
programming and building a robot)
Programming
andmaking
therobot
Testingand
improvement
Solution

20. Computational thinking as a set of cognitive
and metacognitive strategies engaged in the
● analysis and modelling of (complex)
problem-situations,
● and the creation and test of digital system to
provide a creative solution to the problem-situation.
Complexity
Modelling/Design(schema;
complexityreduction)
Analysisofanill-defined
complexproblem
ProgrammingandcreatingtheartefactTestingandimprovement
Romero & Lepage (2016); Romero (2016); Romero, Lepage & Lille (2016)

21. Should kids use technologies ?
Can technologies support
creative participation
across the lifespan ?
@margaridaromero
Img;@FreepikatFlatIcon

22. Cocreative uses of technologies for educationIntergenerationallearning
Robotics, 4th
industrial
revolution
Creative
class
21st century
competencies
Educational
robotics
Problem solving
Computational
thinking
Collaboration
Creativity
Critical thinking
Creative
programming
Society Education
Curriculum
Learning through
game creation
@margaridaromero

23. @margaridaromero
Img;@FreepikatFlatIcon
Last but not least:
mind the gender gap

24. Research supported by
Thank you for your attention.
All feedback welcome !
margarida.romero@fse.ulaval.ca ; @margaridaromero
#5c21 values
#Vibot the robot.
#5c21 guide
#5c21 competencies
#5c21 assessment tool:
www.cocreatic.net
Studio #Vibot on Scratch
#smarticitymaker #fabville /
#r2t2
w/ A. LepageDesign by Leslie Dumont
w/ V. Vallerand
w/ R. Kamga; B. Lille; JN Proulx
Illustrated by Loufane
w/ A. Roy
#CoCreaTIC
Invited research: S. Netto
Lead by M. Romero
Related projects: Silver
Gaming @ACT, IMAGINE
(w. G. Cucinelli, A-L.
Davidson)

25. Annexes
@margaridaromero
Img;@FreepikatFlatIcon

26. Techno-Creative
activities
○ Critical thinking
○ Collaboration
○ Creativity
○ Problem solving
○ Computational
thinking
Romero (2016). Design : Dumont
#5c21

27. #5c21
competencies
Educational
robotics
Creative
programming
Margarida.Romero@fse.ulaval.ca
Digital game
creation
Vibot the robot, a story
introducing robotics
and programming
(Romero 2016,
illustrated by Loufane)
#5c21 15 Co-Creative
Activities for the 21st
Century Kids (Romero &
Vallerand)
Game-based
Learning Across
the Lifespan
(Springer)
#CoCreaTIC publications
Handbook ‘Jeux numériques
et apprentissages’

28. Creative programming with Scratch and
#Vibot the robot
https://scratch.mit.edu/
Studio #Scratch de #Vibot: https://scratch.mit.edu/studios/1999251/

29. @margaridaromero
Orchestrating intergenerational creative programming
workshops (II)
#Vibot the robot, an intergenerational book about programming and
educational robotics. Available in French and English (paper and online).

30. @margaridaromero
Orchestrating intergenerational creative programming
workshops (II)
#Vibot studio on #Scratch: https://scratch.mit.edu/studios/1999251/

31. Values and attitudes for
interdisciplinary community-based challenges

32. Annexes
@margaridaromero
Img;@FreepikatFlatIcon

34. @margaridaromero
Src:Ladieslearningcode.com

35. What kind of activities can engage learners in
creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary community-based challenges
● Amabile defined challenge as “arising from the intriguing
nature of the problem itself or its importance to the
organization” (1996, p. 232).
● Challenge is intrinsically driven.
● Humanistic approach of life, community and education
that promotes positive relations, participation and
collaboration.
● Empathy, care and goodwill actions towards the
community.
Challenge
Community
Belonging, caring,
contributing (cocreative
project), goodwilling

36. What kind of activities can engage learners in
creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary community-based challenges
Complexity Authenticity
Diversity
Engagement
Creative activity
(socio/co/self)regulation
Identify, select, empathise and engage towards
a problem to solve
Creative action-oriented empathy for a worthy
problem or situation to improve or to solve
(going beyond passive awareness or “likes”).
Challenge

37. #TEN2901
Cesar Harada students, at the Hong Kong Harbour School,
wanted to contribute to remove plastics from the ocean.

38. #TEN2901
Cesar Harada students, at the Hong Kong Harbour School,
wanted to contribute to remove plastics from the ocean.

39. What kind of activities can engage learners in
creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary community-based challenges
Design thinking approach Analysis,
Definition
Programming
Ideation
Mechanics
Electronics
Building
Prototype
Test
Programming, educational
robotics, #makered
Challenge
Community
Diversity
Complexity
Empathy
Authenticity
Engagement
Creative
activity
(socio/co/self)
Values
Attitudes

40. What kind of activities can engage learners in
creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary community-based challenges
Design thinking approach
Challenge
Complexity
Values
Attitudes
Design is a way to tame complexity
(Donald A. Norman)
Controlling complexity is the essence of
computer programming. ― Brian W.
Kernighan
“Design = Navigating complexity with
empathy” (@hellomedian)
Programming, educational
robotics, #makered
"Why can't things be simple?"
Why? Because life is complex."
― from "Living with Complexity
(Normand)"

41. What kind of activities can engage learners
in creative collaboration?
Interdisciplinary community-based
challenges
Complexity Authenticity
Diversity
Value and values: Worthy inquiry
and creative project benefiting a
person, group or community
Culture
Knowledge
Competencies
Values
Recognize and value
diversity; discuss
divergent values when
required for the
challenge process.
Literatties
Languages
Patterns Narratives; storytelling
Game mechanics
Attitudes
Spaces
Activities
Engagement
Creative activity

42. Pratiques
éducatives
(Réseau d’écoles
associées)
Communauté
élargie
Laboratoire d'Innovation et Numérique pour l'Éducation (LINE)
Recherche en
éducation
Formation des
enseignants
NumériqueInnovation
Formationàlarecherche
L’innovation est facilité par la coprésence et la mise à disposition d’un espace de co-création
participative. LINE pourrait disposer d’un laboratoire co-créatif dans un lieu physique alliant
les caractéristiques d’un makerspace, d’un living lab et d’un open lab (Barma, Romero, &
Deslandes, 2017; Capdevila, 2013; Mérindol et al. 2016).

43. @margaridaromero
Learners as ICT co-creators
(Participatory Knowledge Co-Creation)
Intergenerational techno-creativity
Src:Ladieslearningcode.com

44. @margaridaromero
https://vimeo.com/157339347

45. @margaridaromero
Src:Ladieslearningcode.com

46. @margaridaromero
Orchestrating intergenerational creative programming
workshops. Strategy 1: Ice-breaking roles.

47. @margaridaromero
Orchestrating intergenerational creative programming
workshops. Strategy 1: Ice-breaking roles.

48. @margaridaromero
Orchestrating intergenerational creative programming
workshops. Strategy 2: Intergen-Creativity.

49. @margaridaromero
Orchestrating intergenerational creative programming
workshops. Strategy 2: Intergen-Creativity.

50. Romero (2016, in press)

51. #GC2020
Innovation Fair.
Ottawa. April 2016.
#ACTproject
#CoCreaTIC
#eduJeux
#5c21

52. @margaridaromero
Orchestrating intergenerational creative programming
workshops. Strategy 3: Storytelling
From storytime to coding time
De l’heure du conte à l’heure du code
#Vibot the robot, an
intergenerational book about
programming and educational
robotics. Available in French and
English (paper and online).

53. @margaridaromero
Orchestrating intergenerational creative programming
workshops (II)
#Vibot studio on #Scratch

54. @margaridaromero
Romero, M., Sawchuk,
K., Blat, J., Sayago, S.,
Ouellet, H. (Eds.), (2016).
Game-Based Learning Across the
Lifespan. Cross-Generational and
Age-Oriented Topics, Advances in
Game-Based Learning (Springer).
ISBN: 978-3-319-41795-0.
http://www.springer.com/us/book/9
783319417950
@SpringerEdu
book on LLL GBL

55. @margaridaromero
Handbook on
Digital Game Design

56. Scaffolding Digital Game Design Activities
Grouping Older Adults, Younger Adults and Teens
Research supported by Ageing + Communication + Technology www.actproject.ca
Silver Gaming activities
● 1 Springer book on intergenerational gaming
● 1 handbook on digital game design
● 1 children book feat. a coding-expert granny
● 1 Summer school (#SGISS15 lead by Romero) and
its proceedings
● 3 conference papers
● 2 conferences ‘tracks’ (HCI 2016 lead by Loss,
#CIRTA 2016 lead by Romero)
● 6 workshops … and a lot of fun !!

57. @margaridaromero
Outcomes: publications #ACTproject #CoCreaTIC
Romero, M., Sawchuk, K., Blat, J., Sayago, S., Ouellet, H. (Eds.), (2016). Game-Based
Learning Across the Lifespan. Cross-Generational and Age-Oriented Topics,
Advances in Game-Based Learning (Springer). ISBN: 978-3-319-41795-0.
Romero, M., Davidson, A-L., Cucinelli, G., Ouellet, H., & Arthur, K. (2016). Learning to
code: from procedural puzzle-based games to creative programming. CIDUI.
Romero, M., & Ouellet, H. (2016, July). Scaffolding Digital Game Design Activities
Grouping Older Adults, Younger Adults and Teens. In International Conference on
Human Aspects of IT for the Aged Population (pp. 74-81). Springer International
Publishing.
Romero, M. (2016). De l’apprentissage procédural de la programmation à
l’intégration interdisciplinaire de la programmation créative. Formation et
profession, 24(1), 87-89. http://dx.doi.org/10.18162/fp.2016.a92
Romero, M., Laferriere, T., & Power, T. M. (2016). The Move is On! From the Passive
Multimedia Learner to the Engaged Co-creator. eLearn, 2016(3), 1.
Romero, M., & Loufane. (2016). ViBot, le robot. Québec, QC: Publications du Québec.
Romero, M., & Vallerand, V. (2016). Guide d’activités technocréatives pour les
enfants du 21e siècle (Vol. 1). Québec, QC: Createspace.

58. #SmartCityMaker, construction d’une ville avec des
matériaux recyclés et des vehicules automates (robots
Beebot, Cubelets, mBot, NXT).
Romero, Proulx, Kamga & Lille (TEN2901)
Margarida.Romero@fse.ulaval.ca

59. #SmartCityMaker, le restaurant tournant de l’hôtel
Concorde avec LEGO WeDo 2.0
Romero (TEN2901)
Margarida.Romero@fse.ulaval.ca

60. Coopétition Zone01 à l’Université Laval, des défis de
robotique pédagogique (primaire-recrues, junior,
senior, WRO)

61. Vibot le robot, un conte
d’introduction à la
programmation et à la
robotique
Vibot visite le MIT Media Lab

62. Premiers pas sur #Scratch .
Ouvrez le projet Scratch suivant:
https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/121266593/#editor
Situation:
Le chat Scratch voudrait savoir le nom des différents
robots.Il s'approche d'eux et leur demande leur nom en
leur envoyant le message 'DireNomDuRobot'.
Votre défi est de programmer l'abeille pour qu'elle dise
son nom (“Beebot”) quand elle reçoit le message
'DireNomDuRobot'.
Pas à suivre:
Cliquez sur le ‘lutin/sprite’ de l’abeille en bas à gauche de l’écran.
Sur la bibliothèque de code, sélectionnez dans la catégorie
“Événements” et glissez-le sur l’espace de programmation. Ensuite
cliquez sur “Apparence”, sélectionnez écrivez “Beebot” et collez cette
ligne de code sous l’autre. Cliquez sur le drapeau vert pour tester votre
programmation.
N’hésitez pas à
demander de l’aide à vos
voisin.e.s de table!

63. Research supported by
margarida.romero@fse.ulaval.ca
Associate professor of Educational Technology
Université Laval
#CoCreaTIC leader
@margaridaromero
margarida.romero@unice.fr
Professor at ESPE Nice
Université Nice Sophia Antipolis
Head of the “Laboratoire d’Innovation et
Numérique pour l’Éducation” (LINE)
#Vibot
#5c21
#CoCreaTIC