Separation of Lanthanides/ Lanthanides and Actinides
Presentation for the NAWI Conference
1. Successful Teaching Using
Computational Thinking via
Scenario Based Learning
Chuck Winer, Professor, Computer Information Technology and Graphics
Anastasia Trekles, Clinical Associate Professor, Instructional Technology
Jennifer Werner, Adjunct Professor of Computer Information Technology
and Instructional Designer, Community Healthcare Systems
Purdue University Calumet
Hammond, IN
2.
3. Objectives
Explain the concepts of Computational Thinking and
Scenario Based Learning as powerful tools for supporting
authentic student learning
Discuss the benefits to serving as a Subject Matter Expert to
classrooms employing scenarios
Demonstrate how teachers and businesses can work
together to bolster important critical thinking and problem-
solving skills in students
Share the research produced from the ASSECT NSF grant,
including a Google Sites template and Computational
Thinking rubric
4. Background
NSF grant project (ASSECT: Advancing the Successful IT
Student Through Enhanced Computational Thinking)
Partnership of universities in five regions
Marriage of Jeanette Wing’s Computational Thinking (CT)
with a framework for building instructional elements
Focus on Scenario-Based Learning (SBL) combined with CT
to help teachers deliver engaging lessons that help students
develop important critical thinking skills within authentic
career-oriented situations
5. What exactly is Computational
Thinking?
A problem-solving process
A way of dealing with complexity
A method of using available tools, including technology, in
logical ways to solve problems and answer questions
ISTE’s definition:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFcUgSYyRPg&feature=y
outu.be
Jeanette Wing’s description: http://youtu.be/C2Pq4N-iE4I
6. Problem-Based Learning Scenario-Based Learning
PBL vs. SBL
Project or problem is often
already defined for the
student
Solution may involve a
particular “right answer”
Teacher guides students
toward the right answers
Project may be contrived or
not based on real situations
Exact problem details not
given; students define the
problem
There is not necessarily a
right answer
Teacher serves purely as a
facilitator and co-learner
Project involves real outside
experts and situations
7. Examples of SBL/CT Scenarios
Our list research-based scenarios can be found at
https://sites.google.com/site/workshopctandsblresourcesite/s
haring-our-research-experience
Experiential Learning Center: http://learnpbl.com
Computer Science Teachers Association:
http://csta.acm.org/Resources/sub/ResourceFiles/CompThin
king.pdf
Examples from Ross Smith, a teacher trained in our
workshops:
http://whoreallydiscoveredamerica.weebly.com
https://sites.google.com/a/hammondacademy.org/middle-ages-
project/
https://sites.google.com/a/hammondacademy.org/standard-of-
living2/
8. The CT Rubric
Helps to assess computational thinking skills, including
logical thinking, strategizing, abstract thinking, procedural
thinking, and optimizing
https://sites.google.com/site/workshopctandsblresourcesite/c
omputational-thinking-rubric
9. The Scenario-Building Template
Workshop link with context and other information:
https://sites.google.com/site/workshopctandsblresourcesite
Google Sites Scenario-building template:
https://sites.google.com/site/assectworkshop/home