Project Dates: 2019-Present
A Curriculum for Constructionist Computer Science
Making with Code is a set of free, open-source computer science courses and related curriculum. The central goal is to create a rich, diverse community of people making things with code, through which they can develop personal relationships with powerful ideas. The courses are designed to help all students learn to interact with code as an expressive, evocative medium that helps structure thought. At the same time, the courses are designed to support computational literacy, connecting with students’ existing ways of reading and writing.
The course is guided by several core beliefs about learning:
- Knowledge is constructed, not transferred. Every learner builds knowledge anew.
- Knowledge-building is social and grounded in people, places, and materials.
- At its heart, computer science is about getting to know powerful ideas. This happens best when working on projects that matter to you and your peers.
This course is designed for students who have no prior formal exposure to computer science, but who have substantial experience with computing in and out of school. The course is expected to be part of a grade 9-12 sequence, culminating in IB computer science exams and preparation for university-level computer science for students who choose to continue their studies.