Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE TEM5004

 
TITLE Research Topics in Computing Education

 
UM LEVEL 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course

 
MQF LEVEL 7

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Technology and Entrepreneurship Education

 
DESCRIPTION Through this study-unit Computing pre-service educators following the MTL degree programme are exposed to current research trends in Computing education. This unit will allow the pre-service educators to critically engage with research and prepare to write a proposal for a dissertation that must be presented in the final stages of this degree.

Study-Unit Aims:

This study-unit aims to explore current trends in Computing education research. Through this unit we will explore ways of introducing Computational Thinking from the early stages of schooling. This unit also explores the impact of Teaching unplugged, Rebooting Computing and Physical computing on current Computing curricula. Moreover the unit will explore visual environments for learning programming and learning with and through computer games. Effects of gender on achievement in Computing will also be discussed.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Argue the case for and against introducing Computing from the early stages of schooling;
- Demonstrate a sound knowledge of approaches that can be used to teach Computing to overachievers;
- Explain the rationale behind different environments used to teach programming;
- Compare the use of different physical devices that can be used in the teaching of computing;
- Synthesise different approaches used to introduce Computing to girls and boys.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Plan effective pedagogic strategies depending on the audience in class;
- Design activities to promote Computing using hardware devices such as Raspberry Pi, Arduino, MaKey MaKey;
- Integrate game based approaches to the teaching of Computing.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- DiSessa, A. A. (2001). Changing minds: Computers, learning, and literacy Mit Press.
- Guzdial, M. (2015). Learner-centered design of computing education. California; USA: Morgan Claypool.
- Kadijevich, D. M., Angeli, C., & Schulte, C. (2013). Improving computer science education Routledge.

An updated set of online readings and resources will be provided at the start of the study-unit.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-requisite Qualifications: Course Entry Requirments

Pre-requisite Study-unit: TEM5002

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 Yes 100%

 
LECTURER/S Diane Vassallo

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit