Exploring Algorithm Building Through Designing and Making Kinetic Sculpture
Joey Huang, Lora Cawelti, Kylie Peppler · Proceedings. · 2023
Algorithm building, creating a step-by-step procedure to carry out a solution, is a challenging concept for youth to learn and practice.Kinetic sculpture is a novel context for examining how students may learn algorithms through designing and making.As part of a larger study, we collected and analyzed a total of 18 student pre-and post-tests on computational thinking, physical computing, and arts.To examine how students build algorithms in the process of designing and making a kinetic sculpture, we analyze two vignettes from two small groups in a STEAM-based workshop.Findings show that while designing and building kinetic sculpture, students learned computational thinking and applied algorithms by incorporating inputs, outputs, and variables during the process.This study offers a springboard to investigate how students create and apply algorithms in designing and making kinetic sculpture and provides empirical evidence on how students learn algorithms in a STEAM learning context.