Authentic Contexts

Where possible these skills, concepts and understandings should be taught in authentic contexts and indeed the first sentence for each of the progress outcomes starts with "In authentic contexts...".
For Computational Thinking, Progress Outcome One the contexts are non-computerised (also known as Unplugged). For Progress Outcome Two the contexts will be both computerised and non-computerised. Above that the contexts to achieve the outcome need to be computerised but non-computerised contexts could be used to help students understand the concepts first. Below are some examples of authentic contexts.

Authenticity
What is an authentic context? The Galileo Network in their authenticity rubric state that authenticity is achieved when:
"The scope of the study emanates from a question, problem, issue or exploration that is significant to the discipline(s) and the community locally, provincially, nationally or globally; is meaningful and relevant to students; and is mapped to the mandated curriculum."

Flowchart for rubbish sorting

Flowcharts
Students can design flowcharts for tasks that need to be completed. Discuss how they can make the process the most efficient with the least amount of steps. The Flowcharts page has some additional ideas.

Literacy

How Coding can Improve your Child's Writing Abilities - Tynker blog.
Block coding programs like Scratch, Scratch Jnr and Tynker can easily be used by children to create stories, give instructions, share information etc. Just ad text boxes, speech bubbles and recorded voice or even tell the story using only images.
When students are writing or orally giving instructions they are making an algorithm. Use the term algorithm so they make the connection. E.g. recipes, class routines, instruction manual etc.
C.T. P.O. 2 Exemplar 3: Getting to the Hive
Using symbols for communication e.g. C.T. P.O. 2 Exemplar 4: How Māui Slowed the Sun
D.D.D.O. P.O. Exemplar 2: Turning on the TV - use visual language and layouts when creating a flowchart to demonstrate understanding of inputs and outputs.
Creating visual texts e.g. D.D.D.O P.O. 1 Exemplar 3: Animating a Song
The Humans & Computers theme provides lots of material for discussions and debates e.g. D.D.D.O. P.O. 2 Exemplar 8: Digital Debate.

Social Sciences

Coding and Social Justice Issues - This was literacy task within a social justice context with students sharing their findings via Scratch linked to a Makey Makey controller.

Error parity detection magic trick video (above) - error parity detection is used to detect errors in programs e.g.if a barcode is damaged. Demonstrate using this little "magic" trick. See if students can work out how you did it.

Examples
The Enabling e-learning student-created apps page has many examples of apps created to solve an authentic problem.
Some apps that can be used for this include:
Metaverse - this one is relatively easy to make a basic app using a pick-a-path type approach but has scope for advanced coding. Free.
You can create a simple app using Google Slides in a similar manner to pick-a-path stories.
Swift - create ios apps. the Swift Playgrounds app has free game-based tutorials.
Mobincube - has a free plan and teachers can upgrade their plan for free by emailing them.

Algorithms for Class Routines
This idea from Alison Stewart and Sharon Alabaster: "We have adapted this to create class codes for our soft systems e.g. lining up and walking to the hall, putting lunch boxes away, getting changed for swimming and so on. After a while, the children know exactly what to do when you say, “Let’s run the getting changed for swimming code.”"
I can see this being used as part of an inquiry process e.g. How can we keep our cloakbay tidy? Once we have done some research and found some useful ideas we could design an algorithm that will help us .

Maths
Maths is interwoven throughout computational thinking. Examples can be found here.

Phys. Ed. & Dance
Another idea from Alison and Sharon: "Our year 2 students last year wrote ‘swim bot’ codes prior to going to the pool. Things such as, eyes look at the bottom of the pool, long legs with floppy feet, etc etc. It really helped them with their swimming skills and focus & motivation.
Many action songs can be written as algorithms and provide opportunities for de-bugging.

Science
There are many opportunities to write and follow instructions (algorithms) in science.

In the Planting a Seed video students cut and paste steps from a worksheet but they could write and follow their own instructions (algorithms). They could compare their algorithm with those of other students to gain understanding of how there can be more than one algorithm for the same task.

Music
Create music electronically.
D.D.D.O P.O. 1 Exemplar 3: Animating a Song
D.D.D.O. P.O. 1 Exemplar 4 Bottle-cap Music

Play-based Learning
Play-based learning provides excellent authentic contexts for students to learn and implement this content. Students don't always need a device in order to use computational thinking. Loose parts and other provocations can be used to stimulate this type of thinking and if we use the vocabulary around them they will incorporate that into their play.

2019
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