At the Faculty of Education, University of Ljubljana, future informatics teachers learn how to implement project work in their teaching. This is done through them developing new interdisciplinary projects that they can later use with their students.
The projects they are developing are interdisciplinary and address real life problems. Through these activities, students are expected to develop a diverse set of skills needed in their future lives.
This year, students participated in the “Modernisation of the pedagogical study programmes – Modernisation of the PSP NOO” project. The project aims to modernise different types of pedagogical study programmes to develop competences relevant for meeting current and future challenges. By updating existing curricula or developing new ones for pedagogical study programmes, the project contributes to raising competences, with a focus on digital competences and competences for the sustainable development of future professionals in education.
In line with the project, future computer science teachers were asked to develop three projects related to sustainability as well as computational thinking.
Project 1: Sustainability with Micro:bit
This project’s focus was on detecting a real-life sustainability problem that can be addressed using a Micro:bit. Students were expected to work in pairs and develop a simple project for their future students that would address the problem they chose and implement their solution to the problem. They were programming Micro:bits, connecting them with outer sensors and documenting the development of their implementation by taking photos and screenshots of their work. This activity also resulted in the development of teaching materials.
Example: Students created a step counter application to promote walking instead of using motorized transportation, helping reduce carbon emissions. Another group developed a system for measuring several minutes when the lights were turned on and calculating energy consumption based on these data.
Possible connection to Halliday’s functional approach: This project primarily addresses the Instrumental function by promoting problem-solving skills and the use of digital tools for everyday tasks that support sustainability. It also incorporates the Heuristic function by strengthening research skills and critical thinking as students investigate real-world sustainability challenges and develop technological solutions.
Project 2: Sustainability with LEGO Mindstorms
This project’s focus was on detecting a real-life sustainability problem that can be addressed using Lego Mindstorms with their sensors. Teachers had hoped to use newer LEGO sets, but only these were available to them at the time. Students had to work in groups and present their final project result by creating a short video of their robot along with the code they created to make it function properly. Example: Students developed an automated garbage collection robot that detects and collects waste, addressing waste management challenges in urban environments. They documented their work using video.
Possible connection to Halliday’s functional approach: This project combines the instrumental function through its focus on automation and problem-solving, as well as the interactional function, as it builds competences in digital collaboration and team dynamics through group work. The video documentation aspect also incorporates the Representational function by requiring students to present the types of garbage effectively using digital tools.
Project 3: Designing a Scratch game that calculates carbon footprint
In this individual project, students had to develop a game that follows a day in an individual’s life and allows the user to select actions that influence the carbon footprint. Teachers asked them to use their creativity to make the game as interesting and relevant as possible. Through the development of this game, students had to use their computational thinking skills as well as their imagination and problem-solving skills.
Example: Students created interactive stories and games where players make everyday decisions (transportation choices, food consumption, energy usage) and see the impact on their personal carbon footprint. As a bonus, students were encouraged to include local contexts in their games, allowing players to see how their decisions affect their community’s sustainability goals.
Possible connection to Halliday’s functional approach: This project aligns with the Imaginative function by fostering creativity through game design and interactive storytelling. It also incorporates the Personal function by developing awareness of digital footprints and responsible online behaviour, and the Regulatory function by teaching users about responsible behaviour in digital spaces and environmental care.
Through these projects students were developing their computational thinking skills. They learned the importance of informatics knowledge in addressing everyday life challenges and the importance of developing of digital skills to higher levels to become not just passive users, but active creators of the future.
These activities serve as examples of how a functional approach can be applied in informatics education that we are addressing in the Digital First project. In this way, students can experience firsthand how functions of digital technology can be applied to develop meaningful solutions to contemporary sustainability challenges
