Edge Hill University
Understanding the problem in (computing) education and in the real world
As computing teachers, we aim to help students develop the knowledge and skills required to solve programming problems while also empowering them to think critically and creatively. But are the problems we set sometimes too “sanitised”? Often, we don’t work with real-world problems and instead we deal with specifications that look like problems.
Specifications focus on the application of programming knowledge and limit discussions about how technology relates to the world, how real-world problems turn into technical solutions, or how human-centred technology is shaped by clients and users. The transition from intention to specification involves interpretation and negotiating an understanding with clients and users. Specification type problem limit students’ opportunities for questioning, decision-making, and sense-making as this work has already been carried out by the question setter.
This session presents insights from my PhD study which explores ways of supporting the development of computing teachers’ subject matter knowledge with a particular focus on programming problem solving.
Nicola Looker’s Edge Hill University staff page