My Teaching Inquiry 

What has gone well?

[Introduce/practise using algorithms in an everyday context to develop computational thinking.]

• Most students think more carefully about solving a problem and can talk about ‘how’ they solved it.
• Students were engaged throughout unplugged coding activities. All worked co-operatively in pairs and small groups.
• Many students have improved their backward counting skills, 1 less/1more knowledge and strategies, left/right and forwards/backwards knowledge.

What has been a challenge?

• Time restraints due to lock down.

• Timetabling regular sessions.

• JAM assessments revealed that a few students have rote-learned backwards counting from 10 but can’t count back from 20 using the ‘one less’ strategy.

• Teacher involved supporting students in new learning and not taking photos for the class Blog.

What was an ‘aha’ moment with your students?

Students realising the need to be exact when completing unplugged coding activities i.e. understanding the problem to be solved, direction, careful counting, double-checking.

Where to next?

• Continue using unplugged grids.
• Introduce Bee bots.