Project Overview

Thriving in Our Digital World is a problem-based-learning pedagogical model for teaching computer

science in blended environments. It is a result of design-based research and iterative development.

Teaching Computer Science Through ProblemsGeorge Veletsianos, Tara Craig, Greg Russell, Bradley Beth, & Calvin Lin

University of Texas at Austin – Learning Technologies & Computer Science

Design Principles

•Authentic problem/project drives module and instruction

•Information delivery for foundational content

•Student-centered, inquiry activities for higher-order skills

•Technology-supported instruction and learning

Purpose & Goals

•Engage students with computer science•Develop a PBL pedagogical model for

computer science education•Support teachers’ implementations of a

pilot course based on such a model

Emerging Research Results

• Narratives were engaging and memorable, but inauthentic

• Extraneous materials distracted from the core curriculum rather than enhancing it

• Teachers and students worked almost exclusively on computers and rarely ‘offline’

• Usability of the online environment and digital tools was critical to the degree of technology integration

• Teachers relied on traditional instructional practices

• Each teacher’s implementation of the curriculum was unique

• Teachers required extra prep time to prepare for the pilot course

• Accrediting multiple implementations required criterion-based assessments in addition to PBL assessments

Example Module: Artificial Intelligence

Chatterbots, like Apple’s Siri, can converse with humans, but is artificial intelligence ‘smart’

enough to make us think they’re human? Your job is to design and conduct a Turing Test capable of

distinguishing a chatterbot from a human via conversation.

The Course

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Our Team