New+Curriculum


 * //What is creative computing? //**

Creative computing is about //creativity//. Computer science and computing-related fields have long been perceived as being disconnected from young people’s interests and values. Creative computing supports the development of personal connections to computing, by drawing upon creativity, imagination, and interests.

Creative computing is about //computing//. Many young people with access to computers participate as consumers, rather than designers or creators. Creative computing emphasizes the knowledge and practices that young people need to create the types of dynamic and interactive computational media that they enjoy in their daily lives.

Engaging in the creation of computational artifacts prepares young people for more than careers as computer scientists or as programmers. It supports young people’s development as //computational thinkers// – individuals who can draw on computational concepts, practices, and perspectives in all aspects of their lives, across disciplines and contexts.

The activities in this guide are designed to explore computational thinking //concepts// (sequence, loops, parallelism, events, conditionals, operators, data), //practices// (working iteratively and incrementally, testing and debugging, reusing and remixing, abstracting and modularizing), and //perspectives// (expressing, connecting, questioning).


 * //What is design-based learning? //**

Design-based learning is an approach that emphasizes //designing// (creating things, not just using or interacting with things), //personalizing// (creating things that are personally meaningful and relevant), //collaborating// (working with others on creations), and //reflecting// (reviewing and rethinking one’s creative practices). As such, a design-based approach to learning is particularly well suited to creative computing, and forms the basis for the design of each session described in this guide.