Kodu alice and computer science unplugged: a model of effective introducing middle school students to computer science and computational thinking (abstract only)

This poster describes the "Computer Science for All Bulldogs (CS4ALL-B) pilot, a 7-week long course taught in Fall 2013 at Opelika Middle School, located in the Auburn- Opelika, Alabama Metropolitan Area (https://cs4allb.eng.auburn.edu). The program marks the first time a formal Computer Science (CS) course has been taught in an Alabama middle school. The CS4ALL-B curriculum builds upon the Auburn University innovative 'three-step' model of K-12 computing and robotics instruction that introduces CS and Computational Thinking (CT) concepts for K-12 students. This model uses programming frameworks such as Kodu, Alice, App Inventor, Lego NXT-G and Tetrix, and Computer Science Unplugged (CSU) activities. While moving between the three steps, students explore the fundamentals of CS/CT concepts. The CS4ALL-B curriculum is structured in four main sections: First, introduction to Kodu for 7th graders and Alice for 8th graders; Second, introduction to CS/CT Concepts; Third, participation in selected CSU activities, then students develop their programs to demonstrate their abilities to design and create Kodu or Alice worlds that implement the concepts learned while participating in CSU activities; Fourth, students build their own course project that includes all concepts and skills grasped throughout their training. This model helps maintain high levels of motivation, concentration, and engagement during the entire course. The results of the pilot assessment, including tools such as traditional written assessments (e.g. quizzes, tests) as well as alternative assessments tools (e.g. projects and blog posts), will be presented. We have found that our methods foster the learners' nascent development in CS.