Teaching Computing Unplugged in Primary Schools

Exploring primary computing through practical activities away from the computer
First Edition
Helen Caldwell - University of Northampton, UK
Neil Smith - Open University, UK
Teaching Computing Unplugged in Primary Schools
November 2016 | 216 pages | Learning Matters
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Paperback
ISBN: 9781473961708
Available from January 0001

Description

Teaching primary computing without computers?

The Computing curriculum is a challenge for primary school teachers.  The realities of primary school resources mean limited access to computer hardware.  But computing is about more than computers. Important aspects of the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science can be taught without any hardware.  Children can learn to analyse problems and computational terms and apply computational thinking to solve problems without turning on a computer.

This book shows you how you can teach computing through ‘unplugged’ activities. It provides lesson examples and everyday activities to help teachers and pupils explore computing concepts in a concrete way, accelerating their understanding and grasp of key ideas such as abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. The unplugged approach is physical and collaborative, using kinaesthetic learning to help make computing concepts more meaningful and memorable.

This book will help you to elevate your teaching, and your children's learning of computing beyond the available hardware.  It focuses on the building blocks of understanding required for computation thinking. 

Contents

Robots by Helen Caldwell and Neil Smith

Robots by Helen Caldwell and Neil Smith

Musicians by Sway Grantham

Musicians by Sway Grantham

Artists by Scott Turner and Katharine Childs

Artists by Scott Turner and Katharine Childs

Explorers by Sway Grantham and Kim Calvert

Explorers by Sway Grantham and Kim Calvert

Code breakers: Dpef Csfblfst by Mark Dorling

Code breakers: Dpef Csfblfst by Mark Dorling

Magicians by Paul Curzon and Peter McOwan

Magicians by Paul Curzon and Peter McOwan

Gamers by Yasemin Allsop

Gamers by Yasemin Allsop

Cooks by Jane Waite

Cooks by Jane Waite

Scientists by Jon Chippindall

Scientists by Jon Chippindall

Description

Teaching primary computing without computers?

The Computing curriculum is a challenge for primary school teachers.  The realities of primary school resources mean limited access to computer hardware.  But computing is about more than computers. Important aspects of the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science can be taught without any hardware.  Children can learn to analyse problems and computational terms and apply computational thinking to solve problems without turning on a computer.

This book shows you how you can teach computing through ‘unplugged’ activities. It provides lesson examples and everyday activities to help teachers and pupils explore computing concepts in a concrete way, accelerating their understanding and grasp of key ideas such as abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. The unplugged approach is physical and collaborative, using kinaesthetic learning to help make computing concepts more meaningful and memorable.

This book will help you to elevate your teaching, and your children's learning of computing beyond the available hardware.  It focuses on the building blocks of understanding required for computation thinking. 

Contents

Robots by Helen Caldwell and Neil Smith

Robots by Helen Caldwell and Neil Smith

Musicians by Sway Grantham

Musicians by Sway Grantham

Artists by Scott Turner and Katharine Childs

Artists by Scott Turner and Katharine Childs

Explorers by Sway Grantham and Kim Calvert

Explorers by Sway Grantham and Kim Calvert

Code breakers: Dpef Csfblfst by Mark Dorling

Code breakers: Dpef Csfblfst by Mark Dorling

Magicians by Paul Curzon and Peter McOwan

Magicians by Paul Curzon and Peter McOwan

Gamers by Yasemin Allsop

Gamers by Yasemin Allsop

Cooks by Jane Waite

Cooks by Jane Waite

Scientists by Jon Chippindall

Scientists by Jon Chippindall

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Teaching Computing Unplugged in Primary Schools

Exploring primary computing through practical activities away from the computer


November 2016 | 216 pages | Learning Matters

Format Published Date ISBN Price
Paperback 31/03/2026 9781473961708 $64.00
Hardcover 31/03/2026 9781473961692 $135.00

Teaching primary computing without computers?

The Computing curriculum is a challenge for primary school teachers.  The realities of primary school resources mean limited access to computer hardware.  But computing is about more than computers. Important aspects of the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science can be taught without any hardware.  Children can learn to analyse problems and computational terms and apply computational thinking to solve problems without turning on a computer.

This book shows you how you can teach computing through ‘unplugged’ activities. It provides lesson examples and everyday activities to help teachers and pupils explore computing concepts in a concrete way, accelerating their understanding and grasp of key ideas such as abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. The unplugged approach is physical and collaborative, using kinaesthetic learning to help make computing concepts more meaningful and memorable.

This book will help you to elevate your teaching, and your children's learning of computing beyond the available hardware.  It focuses on the building blocks of understanding required for computation thinking. 


Table Of Contents:

  • Robots by Helen Caldwell and Neil Smith
  • Musicians by Sway Grantham
  • Artists by Scott Turner and Katharine Childs
  • Explorers by Sway Grantham and Kim Calvert
  • Code breakers: Dpef Csfblfst by Mark Dorling
  • Magicians by Paul Curzon and Peter McOwan
  • Gamers by Yasemin Allsop
  • Cooks by Jane Waite
  • Scientists by Jon Chippindall

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