Hello! We hope you enjoy our video about INFACT. We had to make do with remote video production this year, so not as "polished" as we sometimes do, but we hope it gets the point across. We'd love to start a discussion about including neurodiverse learners in Computational Thinking activities. Let's talk!

Loved seeing the student excitement and teacher perspective on neurodiverse students as they played games and puzzles. Focus on students with disabilities is an important aspect of broadening participation in computing and this is important work. I was left wondering whether there was novelty effect of the games that could not be contributed to CT and how teachers are using the CT practices to engage students in learning literacy, numeracy, and other skills. How is the project assessing impact of student learning? 

This is right up my alley.  I teach technology literacy to students in grades 3-5 and part of my program includes teaching computational thinking using resources like Scratch, Sphero Edu, and BlocksCAD.  But on a personal scale, I have a daughter with Autism.  I am very interested in learning more about this program and would love to try some of these activities with my child at home and then possibly working with my differently-abled students to better meet their needs as they come to my classroom.  Thank you so much for sharing!

Hi Jodi!

I am always so impressed by your projects and the ideas that drive them! This one is especially close to my heart. Just like your experience with computational thinking games, I have seen that with maker clubs in autism inclusion schools it is often the students with autism who shine because they are allowed to follow their interests and have the time and space to create in their own way. It is so important to see divergent thinking as an asset and not a deficit. I can't wait to read more about this work, and I hope you will be attending the CIRCLS 2021 Convening where we could talk more about it!

Hi Jodi ! It's great to "see" you here. Your video is thought provoking. I wonder if there is a way that we can collaborate to make science more welcoming to neurodiverse learners? See our work exploring the ways teachers collaborate to emphasize social justice in science. Enjoy, Marcia

This is very cool. I especially love the differentiation component in the teacher view. I am wondering what your experience has been with teachers using this feature. What have you learned from teachers about their preferences? We are developing a mod within Minecraft focused on computational thinking, and we plan to have a similar feature for differentiation. I am also wondering what materials you have provided teachers to support implementation. What have they found most helpful?

Hi Elizabeth - we will let you know when we know? :) We have just rolled out the differentiation portal with teachers, but based it on feedback that teachers needed to break it down by grade, tech access (e.g. Scratch, robots), and groupings. We are screening participants for EF so we are not relying on teachers' IEP lists or anything like that, but we do ask them what level of scaffolding they want for a class and/or for individuals in that class. We are studying how this all supports productive persistence in the activities. That study should be rolling out next year (fingers crossed! :)) .  Hope that helps...thanks, jodi

Hi Jodi, I'm so glad you are working on this. I remember (years ago) bringing out a 6th grade curriculum to a class with a couple of neurodiverse students and feeling at a loss to address their needs. It would seem to me that a challenge will be to address the mainstreamed classrooms, and so, the differentiated portal is brilliant. I'm conjecturing that teachers will also need a lot of support to know how to negotiate these learners needs around CT. Has your work, so far, been with individuals or classes? Do you have thoughts about applying this in mainstreamed classrooms?

Very impressed by computational thinking projects and the ideas that drive them. Congratulations on creating the INFACT project that is paired with rich, authentic CT content.

Zoombinis! I have been following this for years. Great design and creation!

Very cool project supporting the strengths of neurodiverse children! Your description mentions offline conceptual and hands on activities. Are these activities developed to enhance working memory and attention? What are some examples of these analog learning experiences?

Hi Momo - great question, and something we are thinking a lot about. We have working memory and attention scaffolds in the learning interactives (graphical organizers and glow on salient features) that can turn on or off depending on the need. For the offline activities, we are offering multiple entry points, optional graphical organizers, and multiple representations for students along with tips for teachers to help scaffold EF along the way. Glad to talk more if you have questions!  thanks, Jodi

Jodi, congratulations on the long term accomplishments of EdGE, and now, especially this work on neurodiversity.  This is inspiring work, and helps pave the way to become not only a smarter world but a more humane world.  I am grateful.

This looks like a great project! Thanks for sharing your work. As an EIR grant, what type of research are you doing and how far along are you in the project?

Such important work and the framing (thinking about how neurodiverse learners can improve schools) is vital to improving experiences and outcomes in education. 

Hi, my name is Colbey. I love what you are doing to help cultivate learning environments for neurodiverse students, this is amazing. As someone with autism myself studying psychology at Stanford, I have a great interest in helping others in the neurodiverse community. I would love to learn more and am open to seeing what research opportunities you have. Thank you. 

Hey Colbey - great to hear from you. We would love to talk more with you if you are interested. Email me at jodi_asbell-clarke@terc.edu. :)