This hands-on course introduces students to the power, usefulness, and joy of computing, through mobile app and game design and creation. Students will be able to experience mobile technology and computing as creators, not just consumers.
Through the powerful combination of mobile computing and game creation, students will develop better and more creative problem solving skills. They will learn to work with and for others. And they will practice thinking and communicating effectively and engagingly using mobile technology and gaming principles.
During the course, students will design and build mobile apps and games, and will be exploring key Computational Thinking “Big Ideas”, such as: Computing as a creative human activity, Levels of abstraction, Algorithms, Programming, and The impacts of computing on our lives and on society.
Key Computational Thinking practices and skills emphasized in the course are: Connecting computing to the real world, Creating innovative computer artifacts, Abstracting, Analyzing and evaluating problems and artifacts, Communicating with the aid of computing, Collaborating effectively.
(See Computer Science Principles - CSP)
Big Idea 1: Creativity. Computing is a creative activity.
Big Idea 2: Abstraction. Abstraction reduces information and detail to facilitate focus on relevant concepts.
Big Idea 3: Algorithms. Algorithms are used to develop and express solutions to computational problems.
Big Idea 4: Programming. Programming enables problem solving, human expression, and creation of knowledge.
Big Idea 5: Global Impact. Computing has global effects on individuals and society.
Practice 1: Connecting computing (Making connections to and from the real world; making connections within CS)
Practice 2: Creating computational artifacts
Practice 3: Abstracting
Practice 4: Analyzing problems and artifacts
Practice 5: Communicating
Practice 6: Collaborating
Space: The game environment, the "atmosphere", and the Look-and-Feel of a game
Components: The game "characters", their "agendas" and resources
Mechanics: The game and component abilities and capabilities, strengths and weaknesses
Goals: The purposes, "agendas", messages, and plans driving the game and its components
Rules: How is the game played, how are the behaviors of of the components determined, how are progress and success determined
Develop computational abstractions.
Use abstraction to manage complexity in programs.
Apply "Good Practices" in the development of User Interfaces (UIs) for mobility and user interaction
Use computing tools and techniques to create and analyze computational artifacts.
Use computing tools, techniques and programming for creative expression.
Describe the combination of abstractions used to represent data, and use multiple levels of abstraction in computation.
Use computers and programs to process information to gain insight and knowledge.
Use models and simulations to raise and answer questions.
Develop algorithms to solve computational problems.
Connect problems and potential algorithmic solutions.
Review other students' code, predict the end results, and critique the work.
Employ appropriate mathematical and logical concepts in programming.
Evaluate programs for correctness.
Connect computing with innovations in other fields.
Connect computing within economic, social, and cultural contexts.