About the MIT ICE Lab

The Imagination, Computation, and Expression Laboratory (ICE Lab) researches and develops computing systems for creative expression, cultural analysis, and social change. Our research and development work includes new forms of gaming, interactive narrative, social media, digital media art, and, most importantly, creative computing forms unanticipated by any of those. To learn more about current projects, visit http://groups.csail.mit.edu/icelab/

Exploring Computer Science (ECS) Alignment

The learning activities presented in this guidebook include an introduction to computing topics aimed at sparking students’ interest and engagement, fostering a student-centric approach in which they are seen as rich holders of prior knowledge which are assets and opportunities for connection to computing. The curriculum allows students to explore their ideas while learning about human-computer interaction, web design, privacy, coding, debugging, and more using an inquiry-based, constructionist approach to teaching and learning.

From one of the creators of the Exploring Computer Science... Overall, these workshops were both conceptually rich with culturally responsive computing content while adopting an inquiry-based, constructionist approach to teaching and learning. The sociocultural approach to building and developing learners’ identity as doers of computer science effectively captured the participants’ attention and interest. Joanna Goode Associate Professor, University of Oregon

This guidebook was developed with and endorsed by a team of experienced learning science and curriculum development professionals as well as several Boston-area Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science teachers. The content in this guidebook is aligned with the first five units of the nationally-recognized Exploring Computer Science (ECS) curriculum, which is an introductory high school course designed to engage students in both computer science content as well as computational thinking and practice. Although the ECS assessments released by the Principled Assessment of Computational Thinking (PACT) team at SRI Education were not administered to students as part of the educational research process, the ECS content and assessment model served as foundational resources during the development of this curriculum and assessment framework.

Content in this Guidebook

This guidebook has been organized into 6 units and contains detailed examples on how to lead engaging activites and discussions focused on the aforemorentioned goals:
UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION
ACTIVITIES
  • Icebreaker & Introductions
  • Sharing Our Characters

  • UNIT 2: DATA STRUCTURES AS BUILDING BLOCKS ACTIVITIES
    ACTIVITIES
  • Introduction to Computing Virtual Identities
  • Developing Front & Back End Virtual Identities

  • UNIT 3: SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, & CULTURAL ISSUES IN COMPUTING
    DISCUSSIONS
  • Stylin’, Profilin’ (How We Socialize & Express Ourselves Online)
  • Stereotypes (How People Are Perceived & Represented in Computing)
  • Surveillance (How People Manage Privacy-Related Issues)
  • Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems (How Companies Make Money Off Your Data)

  • UNIT 4: MAP DESIGN & COMPUTING
    ACTIVITIES
  • Exploring Map Games
  • Maps as Design Tools

  • UNIT 5: PROTOTYPING MAPS
    ACTIVITIES
  • Introduction to Prototyping
  • Low-Fidelity Prototyping
  • High-Fidelity Prototyping

  • UNIT 6: MAP PATHFINDING & SEARCH
    ACTIVITIES
  • Map Pathfinding Strategies
  • Introduction to Search Algorithms
  • Strategies For Implementing This Curriculum

    The general run-of-show schedule implemented in the Boston-area program case studies by the MIT ICE Lab is presented below. However, educators are strongly encouraged to customize their curriculum implementation to the unique needs of their students and learning setting, and the below durations should not be considered requirements.

    Suggested Duration Units & Activities
    Day 1 ~ 1 hr 25 min UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION (25 min)
    ACTIVITIES
  • Icebreaker & Introductions
  • Sharing Our Characters
  • UNIT 2: DATA STRUCTURES AS BUILDING BLOCKS ACTIVITIES (1 hr)
    ACTIVITIES
  • Introduction to Computing Virtual Identities
  • Developing Front & Back End Virtual Identities
  • Day 2 ~ 1 hr 25 min UNIT 3: SOCIAL, ECONOMIC, & CULTURAL ISSUES IN COMPUTING (30 min)
    DISCUSSIONS
  • Stylin’, Profilin’ (How We Socialize & Express Ourselves Online)
  • Stereotypes (How People Are Perceived & Represented in Computing)
  • Surveillance (How People Manage Privacy-Related Issues)
  • Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems (How Companies Make Money Off Your Data)
  • UNIT 4: MAP DESIGN & COMPUTING (55 min)
    ACTIVITIES
  • Exploring Map Games
  • Maps as Design Tools
  • Day 3 ~ 5 hrs UNIT 5: PROTOTYPING MAPS (2 hrs)
    ACTIVITIES
  • Introduction to Prototyping
  • Low-Fidelity Prototyping
  • High-Fidelity Prototyping
  • UNIT 6: MAP PATHFINDING & SEARCH (1 hr)
    ACTIVITIES
  • Map Pathfinding Strategies
  • Introduction to Search Algorithms
  • MENTORSHIP ACTIVITIES (2 hrs)
  • Mentor Networking Lunch
  • MIT Campus Tour