PRIDAM: A Framework for Teaching Programming

The drive to teach programming across Key Stages 1–4 in UK schools has resulted in computer science teachers without computer science degrees. Many of these teachers find it difficult to teach an abstract concept like programming to children. The work presented here proposes a framework for teaching programming to aid teachers and pupil progress. PRIMM, a state-of-the-art framework, was implemented in two Year 9 classes of a comprehensive school in England. Results presented show that when it comes to solving problems, PRIMM performs well for simple single-statement problems but fails for more complex multi-statement problems. PRIDAM improves on PRIMM by introducing problem Decomposition and Arrangement which makes it more suitable for more complex multi-statement problems. The authors conclude that whereas the PRIMM framework is suitable for introducing concepts, PRIDAM is suitable both for introducing concepts and solving programming problems

Intervenções pedagógicas para o desenvolvimento do Pensamento Computacional com auxílio da Robótica Educativa: uma revisão sistemática

The development of Computational Thinking (CT) skills in educational institutions is currently a concern in several countries. Admittedly, the concept has developed that the ability to think like a Computer Scientist has educational benefits – capacity for reflection, problem solving and the understanding that everything around us is intrinsically linked to digital technology – and economic benefits with trained professionals. The objective of this systematic review of research (SRR) was to identify which pedagogical interventions have been used in the development of the CT with the help of Educational Robotics (ER) using ER Kits LEGO Mindstorm together with students of the equivalent of elementary school and high school, with the objective of constituting bases that allow the elaboration of a pedagogical intervention in a vocational high school, whose students are at these educational levels. Although the researches are promising in the use of ER for the development of CT, there are still gaps to be explored, since none of the researches addresses students of professional education. Recent research carried out in the area of ​​Information Technology (IT) shows that in a period of five years approximately 800 thousand new opportunities will be created in the area, however, in Brazil, just over 53 thousand technology professionals are trained per year. This finding emerges from a discussion about the fact that the development of the CT is essential in the training of IT professionals, which is in increasing demand in our society.O desenvolvimento das habilidades do Pensamento Computacional (PC) nas instituições de ensino é, atualmente, uma preocupação em diversos países. Reconhecidamente se desenvolve a concepção de que a habilidade em se pensar como um cientista da Computação possui benefícios educacionais – capacidade de reflexão, resolução de problemas e o entendimento de que tudo ao nosso redor esta intrinsicamente ligado a tecnologia digital – e econômicos com profissionais capacitados. O objetivo desta Revisão Sistemática de Literatura (RSL) foi o de identificar quais intervenções pedagógicas vem sendo utilizadas no desenvolvimento do PC com o auxílio da Robótica Educativa (RE) utilizando Kits RE LEGO Mindstorm junto a discentes do equivalente ao Ensino Fundamental II e Ensino Médio, com objetivo de constituir bases que permitam elaborar uma intervenção pedagógica em uma escola de ensino médio integrado ao ensino profissional, cujos estudantes estão nestes níveis educacionais. Embora as pesquisas sejam promissoras no uso da RE para o desenvolvimento do PC, ainda existem lacunas a serem exploradas, visto que nenhuma das pesquisas aborda discentes da educação profissional. Recentes pesquisas realizadas na área da Tecnologia da Informação (TI) nos trazem que em um período de cinco anos serão criadas aproximadamente 800 mil novas oportunidades na área, entretanto, no Brasil, formam-se pouco mais de 53 mil profissionais de tecnologia por ano. Tal constatação emerge discussão acerca de que o desenvolvimento do PC é imprescindível na formação de profissionais de TI demanda cada vez maior em nossa sociedade