Creative Computing Evaluation

Creative Computing is a series of computing clubs for 11-16 year olds which gives them the opportunity to make their own Arduino-based project.
The project has been created and run by Science Oxford, is funded by a Royal Academy of Engineering Ingenious Award and is being supported and run by professional engineers.
We are evaluating the project to find out its impact on engineers and the young people taking part using a combination of in-club activities, surveys and reflective feedback diaries.

Impacts on the engineers

  • Greater understanding of how to engage young people with programming
  • Increased understanding of how programming fits within the educational curriculum
  • Greater appreciation of the personal and broader value of undertaking engineering activities with young people
  • Greater appreciation of value of communicating about their work and engineering in general
  • Increased confidence in running activities with young people
  • Increased confidence in talking to others about what they do in general
  • Better understanding of how to plan and develop activities for children (advisory panel members)

Impacts on club members

  • Knowledge of how to program
  • Confidence to experiment and be creative with new knowledge
  • Skills to find and interpret information and develop their abilities independently
  • Enthusiasm for programming that will last beyond the duration of the project
  • Greater understanding of who engineers are
  • Greater understanding of what engineers do
  • Increased awareness of careers in engineering

Evaluation of Science Oxford’s Arduino computing club.