PERSPECTIVES ON COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION

In recent years computing research has focused attention on the importance of introducing Informatics as a basic literacy competence from primary school to tertiary education. This has been coupled by restating the central role of education which is considered the most powerful means to achieve the fundamentals rights of people from basic and physiological needs such as food, water, warmth, rest, up to self-actualization through achieving personal full potential. The OECD has released the Council recommendations on creating better opportunities for young people. The fourth UN sustainable development goal focuses on quality education and aims at ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all. In the same direction goes the strong movement for quality computing education that, in a decade has led to national laws changing the program of study, from England up to designing a computing framework across Europe. This effort has been strongly supported by the non-formal educational system with initiatives such as the EU Code Week and outreach movements like Coder Dojo. This work aims, as a proof of concepts, at providing both the process and the products, i.e., some exemplar curricula and learning resources that embrace a global perspective on teaching through the lens of system thinking both computing and the characters of the whole learning community as a means to fulfill a holistic development. This will be accomplished through: 1) Examples of the process supported by research practices for crafting computing learning resources to support the acquisition of “knowledge and develop appropriate skills and competencies” as evinced by international survey and instruments (METRECC) and competencies analyses elaborated from the comparison of the ACM 2013 and 2020 computing curriculum. 2) Provide case studies, in accordance with the TPKC framework, related to the design, development and assessment of inclusive and accessible computing learning resources coupled with pedagogical best practices and supported by cutting edges technologies. The proposed learning resources are suited to a national computing course for all high school students and undergraduate courses for students not majoring in computer science, aimed at impacting the learning path of the high school students both at the national and international level. 3) Offer research approaches for structuring collaborations inside communities of practices. 4) Present a data collection and analysis framework aimed at guiding and supporting the educational practices of the educators and the student educational practices and offer to the educational community, including the parents, early detection of learning difficulties. The long term goal is through a System Thinking approach contribute to an holistic learner development including the character and virtue for the wellbeing of the person, the community and the planet.