Techno-creative Problem-Solving (TCPS) Framework for Transversal Epistemological and Didactical Positions: The Case Studies of CreaCube and the Tower of Hanoi

Abstract

AbstractThe interdisciplinary nature of STEM education is a fertile ground for the development of transversal competencies. The study of STEM activities requires not only to consider domain-specific knowledge and skills, but also to possess several transversal competences, among them problem-solving, creativity, and computational thinking to fully benefit from the learning process initiated by these activities. Considering these transversal competencies separately leads to several points of tensions, from a more integrative, holistic point of view. Hence, it is necessary to look at these aspects from a more transdisciplinary position, eventually overcoming limits of disciplinary-orientated approaches, thus linking the existing theoretical frameworks and pedagogical practices. In this article, we describe how the techno-creative problem-solving framework (TCPS) could enrich the analysis of STEM teaching and learning from a transversal epistemological and didactical position. In order to investigate the transdisciplinary potential of TCPS, we provide the analysis of two problem-solving tasks, Tower of Hanoi and CreaCube. The analysis of these tasks through the TCPS raises the existing tensions on how problem-solving, creativity, and computational thinking are considered in different domains to highlight commonalities and differences between different approaches and to deepen the discussion about their possible connections.KeywordsProblem-solvingCreativityComputational thinkingTower of HanoiModular robotics