CS for ALL: Introducing Computational Thinking with Hands-On Experience in College

Abstract

CS for ALL is a new education initiative launched in 2016 to empower a generation of American students with the computer science skills they need to thrive in a digital economy. In order to keep up with trends in the growing technology-driven world, students should have the ability to analyze and consider the consequences of computing problems critically. However, introducing CS and computational thinking skills to the first year students in college is a difficult task because the nature of the subject tends to be dry and conceptual. Thus, we introduce a computer science course that helps all undergraduate students to prepare for digital life as well as enhance their critical thinking skills through hands-on learning experiences. The course contents introduce the general concept of computer science such as computing system, basic networking, algorithms and programming with Scratch and mBot robot exercises. Our student feedback shows a high level of enthusiasm and engagement among the students. The strong hands-on learning nature of the course helped our students to have more engaging and interactive classroom experiences.