Research Projects

The objective is to design an empirical evidence-based pedagogy involving traditional Indian games to teach Computational Thinking (CT) in schools, taking a human-centric approach. The approach will involve systematically gathering existing games, mapping them to various CT concepts in the curriculum, and building exercises around them. The exercises and games will be validated with teachers and students through workshops. Computational Thinking (CT) is considered an essential skill under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and is the core of Computer Science (CS) as a field. Games and puzzles have been used to teach CT globally, and the NEP recommends this approach to engage and interest students. In India, traditional games like hopscotch and five stones can be used to develop a pedagogy of activities that can be done both with and without computers in schools. The significance of this approach is that it will create an engaging pedagogy, separate the burden of English and mathematics from CT, allow students to seek help about familiar games and play them outside class, reduce the burden on teachers by using familiar games, and make CT education inclusive of students from all socio-economic backgrounds. This approach will digitally empower future citizens of India and inform the educational technologies startup ecosystem, setting the tone for other local and culturally-rooted pedagogy for other STEM areas in India and other Global South countries.