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CCP – Final Report Template –Revised 08-10-2023

Creative Computing Project – Final Report

PSC-IT and ISTE-E Standards Addressed in the Project
6.2/6b Managing Technology & Learning
Candidates manage the use of technology and student learning strategies in a variety of
environments such as digital platforms, virtual environments, hands-on makerspaces, or in the
field. (PSC-IT 6.2, ISTE-E 6b)

6.3/6c Design & Computational Thinking

Candidates create learning opportunities that challenge students to use a design process and/or
computational thinking to innovate and solve problems. (PSC-IT 6.3, ISTE-E 6c)

6.4/6d Creativity
Model and nurture creativity and creative expression to communicate ideas, knowledge, or
connections. (PSC-IT 6.4, ISTE-E 6d)

In this document you will reflect on the implementation of your Creative Computing Project.
This project could be part of your normal teaching or part of an extra circular activity in either a
formal (k-12 school) or informal (library, community center, etc.) learning setting. Projects
should include some type of computation (e.g., Scratch, Makecode, another programming
languages, or CS Unplugged Activity.)

Suggestions include (but are not limited to):

o Teaching digital storytelling with Scratch
o Doing a CS Unplugged activity to teach about the steps of an algorithm
o Using the Makecode website to teach block-based coding
o Using your SparkFun Inventor’s kit to teach students how to breadboard (e.g., make
their first LED blink and/or control the servomotor.)
o Creating a robotic pet

This activity could be done with a whole class, or a small number of students depending on your
teaching environment.

Name: Vivian Sihachack

Grade level: 9th Grade

Subject(s): Algebra

Date of implementation: November 15th 2023

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CCP – Final Report Template –Revised 08-10-2023

Description of Your Creative Computing Project

My Creative Computing Project is building a function machine. My inspiration came initially
from the Georgia’s K-12 Mathematics Standards. I have been teaching my students to evaluate
functions by using their input and output. Students can use the concepts of input and output to
create a function machine that allows them to create their own math algorithm. This project
promotes computational thinking, and students can use technology to create animation when
building a function machine. This project will be implemented in a traditional classroom.

Use of Technology and Student Learning Strategies (ISTE-E 6b)

After using mathematical algorithm to design their function machine, students will use
technology to create and animate their function machines. Students will learn through the
process of trial and error.

ISTE Portfolio Questions

1. What rules, guidelines, and parameters, regarding the use of technology, do you have
for your learners when they are working independently in alternative classroom
settings?
Students will use technology to explore mathematical algorithms to create their
function machines. They can use suggested websites such as desmos.com to explore the
concept, and they will use technology again to create animation.

2. Do you guide learners to reach out to their peers for support and troubleshooting?
Yes. This project should be done in groups of 2-4. Students are to problem solve
together as a group. I will facilitate the learning process, but will encourage students to
depending on each other to troubleshoot before they reach out to me.

3. What ways do/can they troubleshoot their needs, independently?

Students will troubleshoot through the process of trial and error. They will collaborate
within their groups to come up with solutions.

4. How do you manage the use of technology in these alternative classroom settings?
Students will be given time to work on technology to design and make their function
machines.

Design Process (ISTE-E 6c)

o Ask/Define: Students will be presented with the concepts of functions, input, output,
and how to evaluate functions.
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CCP – Final Report Template –Revised 08-10-2023
o Understand: Within their groups, students will explore the concepts of functions by
evaluating functions from a graphs as well as from equations.
o Plan: Students will start creating their own algorithm by coming up with an equation,
plug in their input to find the output, or use the output to solve for the input. They will
test out their algorithms that they come up with by plugging in their inputs and outputs.
o Create: Students will then use a computer program to create their function machine
using animation to present to the class.
o Improve: Students will brainstorm and create ways to make their function machine in a
higher level by using more operations with numbers and variables.

ISTE Portfolio Question

1. How do you implement a recognized design-thinking process into your instruction?

Name of Design Process: Engineering Design Process

Ask/Define This is when students will learn about the concepts of a function. The
information will be giving to them using technology on the active panel.
Understand Students will use their understanding of functions to evaluate functions
from graphs and equations. Desmos can help to give visuals.
Plan Students will start planning their animation by creating their own
algorithms on paper. Teacher will facilitate this process by circulating
around the classroom.
Create Students will use computer software to create animation that shows how
their function machines work.
Improve The teacher can model or give more examples of how to improve the
function machines to a higher level order of thinking.

Evidence of one or more computational artifacts (ISTE-E 6c)

This section should provide evidence of one or more computation artifacts developed as part the
implementation of the Creative Computing Project. This evidence should include one or more
photos of students project and a written description.
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CCP – Final Report Template –Revised 08-10-2023

This is an example of a group of students’ project. These are screenshots of the function
machine that they created. The first image shows how the input of apples go through the
machine, and the output is the half apples. The letter “h” on the machine shows that the apples
are sliced in “halves.”
The next image shows an actual mathematical function , f ( x )=3 x +2 on the box.
The third image shows that the input x=2 is being put in the function machine.
The fourth image shows how the input x=2 is evaluated in the machine.
The last image yields the result of the evaluation, and as a result, the output is f ( 2 )=8.

Focus on process, not product (ISTE-E 6c)

What went well in your design process? What could be improved in your design process?
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CCP – Final Report Template –Revised 08-10-2023
Before creating their own function machines, the students watched an introduction video on
functions and function machines. The video explains how inputs are evaluated to yield outputs.
The students defined the concept of functions in their own words.

Students then started using their understand of the concept of functions to create their own
functions on paper. They came up with inputs, and plugged in the inputs to evaluate their
functions. They also used desmos.com to get visuals on how different types of functions look on
the coordinate plane.

After exploring and understanding the concepts, the students began creating functions that
they wanted to use on paper. Some students created quadratic functions, some created
exponential functions, but most students created the type that they are more familiar with,
which is the linear functions.

After planning out the functions that they wanted to use, the students used technology to
create animations of their function machine. Most students used Google Slides or Power Point
to create this animation.

The students and teacher give feedback to every group’s functions and their animations.
Mistakes were found on some functions, and they have all been corrected by peers and
teacher. To accelerate learning, the teacher also suggested more variety of functions such as
cubic and cube root functions for students to evaluate.

Failure (ISTE-E 6C)

What type of failures did you experience with the project? This could include failures that you
had with planning and teaching your Creative Computing Project in addition to failures that you
observed with students.

I would not say that there were failures in the project. The students and I agree that the
mistakes that we made helped us through the project by the process of trial and error. For
example, the groups who evaluated their functions incorrectly learned how to use the order of
operations when they made corrections to their machine. I think that the challenge for our class
would be more of using technology to create our final product. There are many software out
there that we could use to create animations, but to my limited knowledge of technology,
Google Slides and Power Points worked just fine.

Computational Thinking (ISTE-E 6c)

Using language such as abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, algorithms, and
debugging/testing, describe the computational thinking that you observed as part of your
Creative Computing Project. If you could redesign you lesson, what would you do to encourage
more computational thinking?
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CCP – Final Report Template –Revised 08-10-2023

If I could redesign my lesson, first thing I would like to change is the timing as to when this
project was conducted. At this time of the year, my students were familiar with limited types of
functions, and those functions were mainly linear and quadratic. I think that if we were to
conduct this same project at the end of the year, the students would have more challenging
types of functions that they could pick from, such as exponential, square root, cubic, and cube
root functions. The students then would have more knowledge of how to evaluate functions
using the algorithms that they have learned through out the year. They would have learned a
greater variety of methods to solve equations. Pattern recognition would also be more effective
then once the students are more familiar with the higher level functions.

ISTE Portfolio Question

1. How do you provide opportunities for your learners to apply the components of
computational thinking?
Students will be using the concept of functions to create and evaluate their
mathematical algorithm using the function machine that they create. Each input that
students put in the function machine should produce exactly one output in order for the
machine to be a function. Students will be using computational thinking to make plans,
analyze their answers, revise their work through trial and error, and troubleshoot to
solve problems.

ISTE NOTE 1: To meet this criteria you must show how you provide opportunities for your
learners to engage in the Design Thinking or Computational Thinking process, just presenting
on what it is, is not enough.

ISTE NOTE 2: Please specifically identify each of the steps of which process you identify in your
artifact, as well as how the details of the lesson/activity as it fits into the Design Thinking or
Computational Thinking process, in your artifact.

Nurturing Creativity (ISTE-E 6d)

Explain how you intentionally modelled and nurtured creativity and creative expression to
communicate ideas, knowledge, or connections as part of your project. Consider using the 4P
framework (Projects, Peers, Passion, and Play).

For my group of students this year, interactive platforms and games work well for them. After
introducing the concepts of functions to my students, I had students (especially the struggling
students) use remediation and practice software such as IXL, Gimkit, and Blooket to strengthen
their skills. The students enjoyed the interactive platforms, and they played while learning the
content.

ISTE Portfolio Questions

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CCP – Final Report Template –Revised 08-10-2023
1. How do YOU demonstrate creativity and creative problem solving for your learners, and
how to you provide them with opportunities to obtain feedback and showcase their
final work?
I would provide examples for students to think about how they would create their
function machine. My examples will range from lower level to high level problem.

2. What opportunities are you providing for your learners to express their own creativity?
Students can design their function machine however they want as long as it follows the
mathematical algorithm that they come up with.

3. How do your learners share their work with others?

Students will work collaboratively in groups of 2-4. They will present their final product
the class and show how their function machines work. They will also post the link to
their animation to the Schoology platform.

4. Do you provide opportunities for peer feedback?

Yes. Students within the same group should be constantly giving each other feedback. I
also plan on letting students collaborate and share their ideas across groups. They will
be given opportunities to give constructive peer feedback.

5. Do you encourage this creativity using technology resources and/or tools?

Yes. Technology will be used as tools for students to explore the concepts of function,
and it will be used again when students create their animations through a computer
software.

Final Thoughts
Use this section for any additional reflection that you have about the Creative Computing
Project or how you see creativity could be better infused into the learning process. (2-3
paragraphs)

I enjoyed creating this project as well as putting it in action in the classroom. As mentioned
above, I value all mistakes in the project as part of the learning process, and the mistakes help
my students to understand the material better. In my classroom, I often find myself up in front
of the classroom teaching. I teach my students the mathematics algorithms and model how to
approach and solve problem, but all of that is mostly done with me in front of the classroom
while my students are writing things down on their paper. This project, however, helped me to
give my students more opportunity to be creative, and it truly promoted computational
thinking. As a teacher-facilitator, I watched and guided my students through the process of trial
and error, I gave them feedback, and I encouraged them to give each other feedback.

Although I am very happy with how the project turned out, there are many different ways to
design this project to make it more interactive and engaging. With my little knowledge of
technology, I learned how to try new things and correct mistakes along with my students. As I
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CCP – Final Report Template –Revised 08-10-2023
become more proficient with technology, I’m hoping to incorporate more variety of
instructional software that students can use to both help with learning the concepts as well as
to create better quality animation. Thank you for this opportunity to help us grow through this
creative computing project!