Playful exploration and meaning making in and out of school with cross-curricula creative computing

This paper shows how the methods of software development and the art of computer programming can provide meaning in the school's and the wider curriculum, while encouraging a playful exploration and expression of knowledge with young people. The paper provides an analysis of computing's place in the educational world. This includes a focus on creativity in computing as an influence in helping people to explore information, communicate their worldview in an expressive and engaging way, and work well with other people in facilitating the expression of their ideas. The research into the influence of creative computing in the learning of both primary and secondary age pupils is focused on weekly computing clubs in a primary and secondary school. The self-study focuses on a pedagogical approach that is cross-curricula and design based, in keeping with professional practice of software development, and allows each child to uniquely express themselves within the living curriculum, while achieving results that are measureable within the given curriculum. The creative development of 150 children is used to demonstrate how computing can be used to reinforce the educational strands of literacy and numeracy, as well as other cross-curricula activities, such as evidence, environment and sustainability, and constructive self-expression