International Conference on Computational Thinking Education 2017 by CoolThink@JC

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With the aim of showcasing the achievements and outcomes of the computational thinking education implementation in Hong Kong, a three-day International Conference on Computational Thinking Education 2017 (CTE2017) is being held at The Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 13 to 15 July. The Conference, organised by the CoolThink@JC Initiative, has attracted more than 500 pioneers in computational thinking education from all over the world, including internationally recognised academics, frontline practitioners in the education sector, and local professionals in the technology field.

The four-year CoolThink@JC programme was created and funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust (The Trust), and co-created by The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US (MIT) and City University of Hong Kong (CityU), with support from the Education Bureau. Funded with a Trust donation of HK$216 million, the Programme was set up last year and aims to equip upper primary students with the basic coding capabilities to strengthen their computational thinking, and to help teachers master the necessary professional skills. The Programme is expected to enable more than 100 teachers to be trained for the benefit of 16,500 upper primary students at 32 schools.

Officiating at the Opening Ceremony of CTE2017 were Mr Sheridan Lee Sha-lun, Principal Assistant Secretary (Curriculum Development) of the Education Bureau; Ms Irene Chan, Head of Charities (Communication and Engagement) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Professor Stephen Cheung Yan-leung, President of EdUHK; Professor Alex Jen, Acting President of CityU; Professor Hal Abelson, Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT; and Ms Marjorie Yang Mun-tak, Chairperson of the CoolThink@JC Steering Committee.

Organised by EdUHK, with the support of MIT and CityU, CTE2017 provides an invaluable platform for learning about and exchanging ideas on the latest development trends in computational thinking education and fosters the development of computational thinking as a foundation skill to match the rapid technical change in the workplace and our daily lives.

In his opening remarks, Professor Cheung pointed out that the promotion of computational thinking education was just a starting point. “As educators, EdUHK community concerns more about how to move our future generation one step forward. It’s time to reflect on how the entire education system, curriculum structure and pedagogical strategies can effectively prepare them to embrace the challenges of the digital world.”

“The CoolThink@JC” programme is not only about coding, but also about empowering students to become problem-solvers and creators in today's digital world,” Ms Irene Chan, Head of Charities (Communication and Engagement) of The Hong Kong Jockey Club said. “We are delighted to hear that the programme has been well received. Apart from this week’s international conference, a series of activities is being organised, including large-scale school and teacher briefings, seminars and workshops for parents and students. I look forward to seeing more ‘Cool Thinkers’ being inspired with creativity.”

During the event, scholars from 13 overseas countries/cities will deliver presentations to disseminate research outcomes of computational thinking education in their regions and discuss key policies to foster skills development for the digital world. Local primary and secondary school teachers and students will host exhibition booths and demonstration sessions to showcase innovative solutions to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and coding education.