We were interested in exploring whether learners in regions that were first heavily affected by the pandemic, such as East Asia or Europe, chose to write about the pandemic before others. However, we found that the first pandemic-related project was submitted in the United States, followed by India, Thailand, and then Germany, in that order (based on self-reported demographic data and tracked IP addresses).
As issues and problems surrounding the pandemic unfolded in real time, learners articulated specific dimensions that could be addressed using approaches advanced in the course. Some of the overarching topics in these projects include being wise about treatment, finding ways to prevent further spread, dealing with life in quarantine, managing school, and how to adequately distribute resources to those most affected. Interestingly, early projects were mostly about deciding to enforce stay-at-home orders and social distancing measures, while later projects largely focused on whether and when to begin reopening society.
Some learners who chose to write about the pandemic articulated that they recognized COVID-19 did not cleanly fit within the category of natural disaster:
“Rather than focusing on a ‘natural disaster’ like too much snow or flooded streets, I’ve chosen COVID-19 since it has limited people’s access to proper nutrition and healthy diet.”
“COVID-19 is a pandemic the whole world is talking about right now. This may not be a natural disaster but is more effective than a natural disaster.”
These excerpts—along with learners’ decisions to choose a different path than instructed—highlight the weight of the pandemic in their personal lives.
Implications and Conclusion
Our findings in this case study have highlighted the benefits of a PBL approach to teaching problem-solving methods and skills such as computational thinking. Though providing learners with a high degree of agency in online courses that are offered at scale may not always be feasible, doing so can empower them and help them establish personal ties to the subject matter. This heightened level of buy-in from learners, created through a combination of greater autonomy and personal interest in the subject, has been shown to lead to more robust learning \citep{Patall_2013}.
In the case of the Problem Solving Using Computational Thinking MOOC, learners were able to choose project topics closely related to their interests, their experiences, and the large problems currently on their minds. For those who chose to look at the COVID-19 pandemic through a CT lens, we expect that the ongoing nature of the problem will lead to many additional opportunities to reflect on the skills they have learned. We assert that the PBL approach adopted in this course, along with the inclusion of a timely epidemiology case study, enabled learners to more deeply internalize the role that CT can play in their own lives and in society as a whole.
Author Biographies
Juan D. Pinto is currently a learning experience design research fellow at the University of Michigan's Center for Academic Innovation and a doctoral student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign studying digital environments for learning, teaching, and agency. His research interests include adaptive learning environments, educational data science, and remote digital learning. He received an M.A. in design and technologies for learning from the University of Michigan. Contact him at
jdpinto2@illinois.edu.
Chris Quintana is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at the University of Michigan, where he applies his background in human-computer interaction and computer science as he looks at how different technologies and media can support learning. Much of his work has focused on software-based scaffolding, including the development of scaffolded software tools, scaffolding frameworks, and learner-centered design processes. Quintana received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in Computer Science and Engineering. Contact him at
quintana@umich.edu.
Rebecca M. Quintana is at the University of Michigan where she is the Learning Experience Design Lead at the Center for Academic Innovation and an Intermittent Lecturer at the School of Education. In these roles she applies her background in learning sciences and educational technologies to consider how design and technology can support learning. Much of her work has focused on the design of online learning environments in higher education contexts. Quintana received her Ph.D. from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto in the department of Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning. Contact her at
rebeccaq@umich.edu.